Angel Crossing
by LAeyeball
Summary: My very 1st fanfic, hope you like intro! If you like, i have 2nd chapter waiting in wings! Leading characters not owned by me, but property of A Spelling & L Goldberg.
1. Chapter 1

The time was 9.50 am, Bosley noted, as he glanced up from the paperwork neatly arranged on his desk. One of the Angels would be appearing any moment, he mused, knowing that she always liked to be the early bird. He looked over at his mug of cooled coffee and decided a refill would be nice…ah, you couldn't beat a great coffee first thing in the morning…

He was pleasantly distracted from his musings as the door opened and Kris bounced cheerily into the office.

"Morning Bos, how are ya today?" Kris smiled a wide sweet smile and made towards his desk, dropping her jacket neatly onto the couch as she passed by.

"Oh I'm fine Kris, and you seem mighty fine too!" He smiled back. Kris noticed his half empty mug of coffee as she drew up to his desk. "Well, the sky is blue, the birds are singing and, yeah, I feel just fine! Wanna refill?" She asked, motioning towards his mug, and made for the bar.

"Oh thanks Kris, sure! How about you get one yourself?" Bosley grinned. Kris cast him a sideways grin back. "Thanks Bos, on the house coffee, sure is nice!" She got busy with the percolator just as Kelly opened the door and walked demurely over to the couch, and sat down gracefully, pushing her hair aside. "Morning Bos, Kris! My, do I smell good coffee on the go?" She smiled across at her friend behind the bar.

"Sure, Kel…I don't like your coffee either!" She gave a light giggle and Kelly grinned back. "Three good coffees coming right up…"

"Make that four Kris, huh? My coffee stinks too!" Sabrina strode into the office, usually later than the other 2 angels, but never late, unless there was a big problem. "Morning everyone!" She greeted, smiled over at Bos then sat down on the couch next to Kelly, patted Kelly's shoulder in greeting, crossed her legs, and waited for the phone to ring.

She didn't have to wait very long.

"Good morning, angels, Bosley!" Charlie's so-familiar voice filled the office. "Good morning Charlie!" came the chorused response. Kris handed out the coffees then perched on the end of the couch next to Sabrina.

"I hope you've all recuperated nicely from your last case angels, I have a very interesting case for you today and you're going to need all your wits, patience and stamina for this."

Kelly looked over towards the speakerphone, her brow slightly furrowed. "Patience, Charlie? Any particular reason you mention that quality?" Sabrina and Kris looked over towards Bos, who seemed just as much in the dark.

"Well angels, we have a missing person to trace…"

Sabrina was off her mark already. "Uh, Charlie… missing persons…police matter…?" She let the question in her voice carry the sentence.

"Yes Sabrina, usually it is. However, as I said, this case is very interesting and also, quite unusual. Have any of you heard of Bronwyn Rhys-Davies?…" Charlie waited for any responses.

Kelly looked up again. "Isn't he the man behind a big British computer company? I read somewhere he was looking to merge with a firm here in the States?"

"That's correct Kelly. He began his career with technology after having worked with the British Army on their intelligence devices towards the end of the 2nd world war. He helped kick-start the British technology business and now owns Aztec Limited, a major player in the industry…"

Kris swirled her coffee around a little and made a small sound as she breathed out. "So, Mr Rhys-Davies went missing…presumably over here, Charlie, and we're on the case? Why?"

"No angel, it's his daughter that is missing. They both came to the States a couple of weeks ago…Mr Rhys-Davies to do business, and his daughter, Jessica, accompanied him for a holiday and to learn more about her fathers business, as she is looking to follow in his footsteps. He came to us through a number of channels, as he sees his daughters' disappearance as a very high profile matter and doesn't want the press involved."

Sabrina drained half the contents of her mug and looked towards Bosley and the speakerphone, her brow also furrowed. "So, this is a kidnapping, probably with a ransom demand, with a little cultural exchange. How come the British Intelligence isn't working on this Charlie? I still don't see why Mr Rhys-Davies is hiring us, when I'm sure his own people have very capable means?"

"Very good point Sabrina," Charlie agreed. "You're halfway there! But Mr Rhys-Davies wants people working on both sides of the Atlantic."

"But Charlie, what about this issue of patience?" Kelly was beginning to feel a twinge of something, something didn't smell quite right. And she knew Charlie had a little something up his sleeve for them. She looked at Kris and Sabrina, and their set expressions told her they felt the same.

"Angels, you will be working very closely with a few people from a very covert British intelligence agency. Mr Rhys-Davies has many irons in the fires of the British Government, that's why secrecy is so high on the agenda."

Bosley, who had been very quiet up to now, voiced the questions Kris, Kelly and Sabrina had yet to ask.

"Charlie. Pardon me for sounding a little slow, but I still don't get it. Why the Townsend Agency? We have no connections with government, here OR in England!" He fidgeted with his pencil, tapping it on his note paper.

"Exactly, Bosley, exactly. Our client wishes to apply a 2-stroke attack. Over here, he's mostly an unknown quantity, and wishes to keep it that way until Jessica is found. So, after I fill you in on final details, you have a case to start and a visitor to pick up from LAX tomorrow at 10am."

Everyone looked questioningly at the speakerphone.

"A British agent called Jennifer Caine will be on her way to work with you on this case angels, by request of our client."

Kelly smiled. Now she got the full picture. "So that's where our patience comes in, Charlie?" She looked over at Kris who rolled her eyes, Sabrina shrugged her shoulders and made a face.

"Yes Kelly, I believe the British are a slightly different people from ourselves, but I also believe, in order to reach our common goals, that you will all handle your responsibilities with your customary dignity, warmth and…"

"…Patience!" All three angels finished Charlie's sentence for him.

Sabrina glanced around her, knowing that whatever this 'interesting' case threw at them, they were going to do just that. "You got it Charlie! Let's get this detail pegged down huh guys, then let's start the ball rolling!"


	2. Chapter 2

Kelly walked over to Sabrina and Kris with bottles of water for each of them. It was crowded and stuffy as usual at the airport, and waiting in the arrivals lounge was never a favourite pass-time for any of them.

"Aw thanks Kel, it's so dry in this place!" Sabrina took an eager gulp of cool water. Kris also said her thanks and did the same. Kelly remained standing, at the row of seats they were waiting at. She looked over for the hundredth time at the flight information screen nearby and seemed to be a little edgy.

"Kelly?" Kris noticed her friends slight nerves. "You wanna sit down? Flights delayed a little, you may as well take the weight off!" Sabrina looked over to Kelly and also read her nerves. She furrowed her brow. "What's wrong Kel? Nervous about meeting someone with better manners than you?" She joked, to try to get Kelly to relax. Kelly shot a quizzical look back, sighed, then moved along the row to sit down.

"I don't know, I just feel a little anxious about this collaboration…" Then she smirked back to Sabrina "…besides, just because she's British…" she emphasised the word …"doesn't mean she's better than me! Or any of us!"

"Absolutely!" Kris nodded her head then looked up to Kelly. "You know, I'm a little nervous too…" she smiled. "…guess I don't get out as much as I thought I did!"

Sabrina chortled after she took another sip of water. "You don't get out at all, Kris, it's your big sis who's the globe trotter!" She threw Kris a mischievous look. Kris raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Ha! Cute! Hey, it's not my fault Charlie hardly ever let's us off for a vacation!" Kelly smiled at the banter and relaxed. She watched Kris as she lifted her head and smoothed her hair over, making sure her neat style was still in place. Then Kris brought a compact out of her bag and checked her makeup, touching up a little on her lip gloss. Kelly smoothed her own hair over and reached for Kris's compact. Sabrina looked at them both, smiling. "Anyone would think we were meeting Her Majesty! Hmm, What else ya got there Kris? Maggie Mo's Mini Make-up Mobile?" Kris rolled her eyes and Kelly giggled. "Aw Bri, yer just jealous!" Sabrina huffed good-naturedly then laughed "Of what? Of a midget with a make-up mojo?"

Kelly laughed out loud, her nerves completely forgotten in the moment. Just then, the tannoy announced the arrival of the flight they had all been waiting for, and Kris put her make-up away and stood up. "OK fellow Americans, let's go meet Her Majesty!"

Jennifer Caine finally spotted her luggage come through on the 3rd round of the carousel. She sighed and went forward to pick off her 2 cases, matching sage green, they were quite difficult to miss. She disliked this part of flying, twice her luggage had gone missing and she now kept her fingers crossed every time she got to this point in her journeys. Not that it helped, she thought to herself. She lugged her cases onto a trolley and set off briskly away towards the exit. So now, where was she to find the three detectives whom she was to meet? She stopped for a moment to smooth down her slightly rumpled suit. She'd decided to go for a somewhat formal look, a grey pinstripe with a peach coloured blouse, which highlighted her auburn hair nicely. She lightly patted her hair to ensure it felt ok. She should've gone to the ladies first, she thought, to re-touch her make-up again. No, it's enough, she did it on the plane, she assured herself. Feeling slightly nervous, she looked all around the crowds who were gathered around, still waiting for luggage, then she set off through the exit doors and into the arrivals lounge. Again she stopped and swept her eyes around, looking for 3 women who might appear business-like. She found none, save for 3 girls who looked like they had just come off holiday themselves. Oops, she thought, mentally adjusting…vacation, not holiday! She smiled to herself. Why did Americans have to by different? She pushed her luggage more slowly in front of her, hoping to catch sight of someone with perhaps a sign with her name on. Hmm. She glanced back towards the 3 'vacationers' and saw to her surprise that someone was indeed, holding a sign with her name on! She turned with her trolley and waved, a little hesitantly. The blond girl wiggled the sign and smiled to her. She looked as though she's spent the last fortnight in the Bahamas! Wow, nice tan…my, what big teeth you have! She chided herself for her first impression…at least get to know the girl! The three girls hurried up to her when they all realised they had found their mark. Sabrina held her hand out first and gave her best welcoming smile.

"Hello, my name's Sabrina Duncan! Really nice to meet you Miss Caine! How was your flight?" Sabrina took her trolley so that more introductions could follow. She spread her palm towards Kris, then Kelly in turn. "This is Kris Munro and Kelly Garrett."

Jennifer nodded to the group. "I'm so pleased to meet you, Miss Duncan, Miss Munro, and Miss Garrett, " she also smiled her best meet and greet smile. "thank you so much for meeting me, it's most appreciated!"

"Oh hey, it's no bother at all, we're so pleased to meet you and we are all looking forward to working with you!" Kris decided immediately that Jennifer's accent was a little snooty, but the girl seemed likable enough. She looked around Sabrina's age, a couple of years older than herself. She also thought the formal suit was a bit of an overkill, but hey, maybe the girl didn't travel all that much. She smiled again at Jennifer. "OK, let's get you to your hotel huh?"

Jennifer looked at Kris then the other girls. She felt a little disadvantaged, but thought she ought to put work first, which would clear her head and her nerves. "I thought we could go to your office first and do a quick update on what we have, then I could sort my luggage out later?"

Kris and Kelly both shared a puzzled look. "Oh, well, it's just that, your hotel is on the way to the office," Kelly replied, "and we thought you would be tired and maybe hungry from your journey…? She let the sentence hang, indicating she thought Jennifer could do with a rest first.

Jennifer was going to respond with a no, then thought better of it. She realised she perhaps was being a little hasty, and actually, she was tired, and realised what she really wanted right now was a shower and a decent cup of tea! She smiled thankfully at her new acquaintances. "You're right, I could do with a rest! Thank you. The hotel it is then!"

Sabrina smiled also and turned Jennifer's trolley toward the exit. "Great, let's go grab a taxi outside and get you checked in, then we'll give you a couple of hours to turn yourself around, then we'll swing by and pick you up." She looked back over her shoulder at Jennifer. "Okay?"

Jennifer nodded. "Of course." Again she smiled. The girls began to make small talk with her and she responded in kind. She wasn't really sure how this case was going to pan out, Anglo-American relations-wise…she was somewhat dubious about her American counterparts. Alright, their agency had an excellent track record, yet, to look at them… well… she couldn't help the thoughts that bubbled up. To be honest, they looked just too fluffy-doll like to be true! Hmm, maybe apart from the Sabrina woman, who looked a bit more… what was the word she was looking for… savvy! Yes, that was it! But then… she stopped herself, inwardly embarrassed. They had walked round to the short stay car park, and Sabrina was taking charge of her luggage again, whilst Kris had walked on to get her car and come round to pick them up. Here they were, being nice as nine-pence, all sunny Californian smiles, radiantly pretty and so welcoming - what the devil did she have to complain about? Where was her professionalism? She again chided herself and smiled and voiced her thanks as the girls bundled her luggage into the boot of Kris' extremely sporty looking car. She looked it over…a Cobra? Never heard of it! Jenny, get with it, she admonished herself, as she climbed in the back beside Kelly Garrett. This was going to be one heck of an experience!


	3. Chapter 3

**Apologies for the long delay in updating! I am very nervous, being a newbie, and not quite confident of my story telling techniques so am a little slow at getting going! I hope you can all bear with me, I am enjoying writing this, am now getting into the fun part of it! More to come, please don't give up!**

Bosley turned his head from their client as the office door opened, and the Angels, led by Kelly, walked in. Behind Kelly came Jenny Caine, looking very curiously…British, Bosley thought, amused. She also seemed very young in relation to the job she did…but then, he mused, so were the Angels! He immediately appreciated the business-like manner of her apparel, and approved. Very good, he thought, it's time we had a little more 'suit' round here!

"Ah, here we are, all present and correct!" Bosley got up and strode over to meet the new arrival. He extended his hand to Miss Caine and smiled his very warmest Californian smile. "John Bosley, I'm so pleased to meet you Miss Caine, we've heard a lot of good things about you from 'over the pond'!" His smile widened even more. Kelly, Kris and Sabrina looked over towards where their new client was standing. Sabrina smiled also. She politely ushered Jenny into the middle of the room.

"And since we're all here…", she expectantly looked across at the speaker on Bosleys desk.

"You took the words right out of my mouth Sabrina…" Charlie's gravelly voice emanated from the squawk-box. "please let me introduce you all to Bronwyn Rhys-Davies, our client from England. Please introduce yourselves and then we'll get down to business…"

Jenny Caine was the first to greet her fellow country-man. "I'm very pleased to meet you Mr Rhys-Davies, although I do wish it were under more favourable circumstances…" She shook his hand and then made room for her fellow colleagues. Kris, kelly and Sabrina came around to meet their client, each aware of the extra effort they felt they had to make in this case. Jenny looked over the mature, expensively suited and booted gentleman, and listened to his voice as he spoke round the group, shaking hands and making polite commentaries. Although he had a very clipped British accent, she detected the faintest of Welsh undertones in his dialogue, and understood that this man had come very far in his career, using every resource to push his persona and his agenda on an International scale. He had effectively hidden that part of him that described his possible rural upbringing. She identified with this very much, she realised, smiling inwardly. She herself had come from a less than formal background and had fought tooth and nail against a male, upper-class establishment where not only brains, instinct, a certain ruthlessness, among other career related qualities were required, but also upbringing, gender and class distinctions were part of the general hierarchy which was strongly entrenched in her chosen field of expertise. She silently congratulated herself on her achievements thus far. And then was snapped quickly out of her reverie when she suddenly realised 5 pairs of eyes were looking at her expectantly. Damn. She had lost concentration! What was wrong with her? She looked around the group and quickly recovered.

"Hmmm. Mr Rhys-Davies, I understand this is all a very big shock to you and you must be feeling terribly anxious to get things moving, to find your daughter…" She looked across at him with a faint upwards tilt of her chin, to indicate control. Rhys-Davies seemed to look re-assured. "Of course, Miss …er… Caine… I have a great deal of business to attend to, here in the States, but of course this is far down the list when it comes to finding out what has happened to Jessica!" Rhys-Davie's face coloured somewhat, as emotions played across his features. Kelly looked up. She heard the barely disguised anguish in his voice and felt for the man. She was about to re-assure him further, when Charlie's voice cut across the notched up tension in the room. "Mr Rhys-Davies, please be very assured that _our team_ here will do everything humanly possible to find your daughter, Jessica." Kris, Kelly and Sabrina shared looks. They understood between them that Charlie had deliberately included Jenny into the word 'team' as a gesture of unity across the Atlantic. Jenny looked across to Bosley and saw him nod slightly, as if to cement the thought behind the comment. Charlie continued…"Mr Rhys-Davies…" at that point, Rhys-Davies stepped forward a little towards Bosleys desk. "I do apologise for interrupting, Mr Townsend, but Mr Davies, or Bronwyn will do just fine… !" He smiled around the office, noticing everyone relax or smile a little. He was a business man, yet there seemed to be a need for some down to earth geniality to oil the wheels of progress. Charlie continued again. "Thank you Mr Davies, you are very kind. Now, are there any reasons at all that you can think of, why Jessica would be kidnapped, apart from the obvious cash incentive?"

Mr Davies sighed and folded his arms across his chest, an obvious sign off irritation. He'd been through all this with the British intelligence agency. Charlie quickly recognised the sound for what it was. "I'm sorry Bronwyn, but we have to check, double and treble check everything. We have to be clearly in the picture. Please be patient."

Davies sighed again then relented. "As you say Mr Townsend, apart from the obvious…and I have not heard of any ransom demand yet… no! My daughter and I are very close… all our family are. She has no enemies, she has a circle of very warm and decent friends…there's no reason for any of this!" He exclaimed, softly, shaking his head. He was clearly beginning to feel some distress. It went unnoticed by no-one in the room. Kelly cleared her throat and looked over at Davies. "Even if Jessica had just met with an accident" her countenance showed sympathy for her clients pained expression, "there would have been local news reports, local involvement…" She glanced to Kris and Sabrina for their support. "…there's been nothing of the kind this last week."

Kris, who had remained pretty quiet so far, voiced her concern. "I don't like the fact that there's been no ransom demand yet." Jenny looked across at the young blonde detective. She herself had the same thought in mind. "What do you think we have here then, Miss Munro?" Kris looked back across to Jenny and wondered if she was deliberately needling her for a quick answer, or was genuinely thinking along the same wavelength. She erred on the side of caution and decided on the latter. "Well I can't say, it's too early, but lets face it…when lowlife want their moneys worth, they don't take their time, huh? Jessica's been missing for … 3 days, right Mr Davies?" She looked across to him for affirmation. He nodded. "So, maybe we ought to be looking at some kind of corporate rivalry?"

"Good thinking Kris." Charlie responded. "Mr Davies, I take it our British counterparts are fully briefed on all your corporate connections both here in the US and in England?"

Again, Davies nodded. "Yes of course Mr Townsend." He stood up and looked wearily at Bosley, who had been taking notes. He needed to stretch his legs and make some phone calls to his family.

"Well then for the moment, I suggest you go back to your hotel Mr Davies, try and get a little rest… perhaps you may need to contact family and friends of Jessica's. We'll take it from here…we WILL find your daughter, Mr Davies - for now we'll be in touch and keep you updated of our progress." Charlie's authorative voice told Davies that everything was in order, and he could trust these people. The man also seemed to have just read his mind! Remarkable! He was about to enquire about a local taxi company when the British girl spoke up again.

"If you don't mind, I would like to accompany Mr Davies to his hotel - I can start the preliminary legwork there, ask around, who's seen what and when etc." She looked over at Sabrina. "If that's alright with all of you."

Kelly nodded, and Kris's smile as she said 'sure' was genuine. Sabrina looked at Jenny. "As good a place to start as any, Jennifer." She smiled.

Charlie responded also. "Whilst you are with Mr Davies, I'll have Kris, Kelly and Sabrina look over Aztecs US connections, see what we can dig up here. Please stay in touch Miss Caine. If you have any problems, don't hesitate to call the office."

"Of course Mr Townsend" She stood up also and walked towards the office door with Mr Davies, then looked back over her shoulder briefly. "And please, call me Jenny."

After their departure, Kris looked around at Kelly and Bri, twirling a pencil through her fingers. She smiled. "Well, this is nice huh? Having a British girl working with us…?" Bri stood up and walked around to the bar to pour more coffee. "She seems OK. Her credentials are spot on." She remarked, wondering if Kris had something against Jennifer…Jenny. She raised an eyebrow in Kris's direction. Kris tapped the pencil on the end of her nose. "Oh I'm sure she knows her job…it's just…" She looked thoughtful. Kelly got up also and walked over to Bosleys desk and perched on the end of it, much to Bos's pretend chagrin. She looked back at Kris and smiled. "Just what?" Bos looked on, intrigued. Kris looked back at Kelly and shrugged and grinned. "Oh I don't know, she's just…different!" Kelly 'hmphed' softly. "Come on Kris, don't tell me you got a problem with our cousin island-folk?" She smirked.

Kris looked shocked. "NO!" She said defensively. "Oh never mind!" She decided to shut up. "So what next Charlie?" She changed direction. Bri and Kelly shared a chuckle, and Charlie also chuckled. "Angel, I think you were out-manoeuvred! Besides, I happen to agree with Sabrina, Miss Caine is very intelligent and astute, and has many convictions under her belt. We may even be able to learn a thing or two" He chuckled again, but then became serious. "Now Kris, I need you to liaise with Jennifers' contact in the UK and get copies of all current employee records at Aztec faxed across to us a.s.a.p. - and if you can, also go back maybe 6 months historically also. Sabrina, you are going to get a job in the Research and Development Centre at ChemSoft Corporation here in L.A." Sabrina nodded, coming back around with bugs of coffee. Charlie continued filling the Angels in.

"ChemSoft is the company which Mr Davies is looking to merge with. As you may know, they are the US's fastest growing research and development company in the field of biotechnology. This is of course, a very young technology, still in it's infancy. There is a lot at stake when these kind of businesses are competing for supremacy in the marketplace. Kelly, you need to investigate behind the scenes regarding these two companies…are there any connections, apart from business, that is linking Aztec and ChemSoft together?" Kelly nodded. "Right Charlie. I'm on it. Anywhere you want me to start first?"

"Kelly, I'll leave it in your capable hands…we need answers…and fast! That's all for now Angels, keep in touch." With that, Charlie clicked off. Bosley flicked the switch on his desk and frowned in thought. Kelly looked around and her face took on a familiar look of concentrated inward focus. Sabrina was quick to notice. "You ok, Kel?" Kris look up quizzically at Kelly, but Kelly was once more affable. "Sure! I just gotta hunch that we all need to be real careful on this one. Something doesn't quite add up…and I hate it when I have to work at my social skills!" She laughed, and Kris tossed a cushion at her. Sabrina opened an envelope that Bosley had handed her and read through the contents. "Well then let's be careful. I've got an interview at ChemSoft, I'll see you guys later." Sabrina left, and Kelly and Kris got down to a lot of telephone calls.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for all your nice reviews, I****'m encouraged again, and also with all your updates too, so here's more…tried to make it longer!**

Jenny accompanied Mr Rhys-Davies as far as the hotel lobby, then watched from the Reception Desk as he found an elevator to his floor. She felt quite sorry for the man, but also she felt a little on edge about him. He was obviously extremely worried for his daughter, Jessica, yet she sensed some kind of out of place stiffness about him that wasn't apparent at the office. But then he's a businessman, and as such, must keep his guard up at all times, she thought, reasonably. Still, she needed to keep mental notes of any warning signs her own 'guard' was digging her with.

"May I help you ma'am?"

Jenny turned to face a pretty young brunette receptionist. "Actually, yes you can." Jenny pulled out a wallet and showed her identification badge and photo to the girl, who looked at it with some puzzlement, but then looked back at Jenny.

"I'm investigating a missing person from this hotel," said Jenny as she placed her wallet back into her bag. "and I wondered if you could help with any information regarding the day the person went missing."

The receptionist again looked puzzled. "Oh, I never heard anyone was missing recently, guess maybe I missed the news or something." She smiled awkwardly. "Who's missing, when did it happen?"

"July 19th, Friday, about 9pm, as I said, from this hotel." Jenny was keeping the personal details purposefully vague. "Could you tell me if anything strange or out of the ordinary happened on this day, or around this time?" Jenny looked at the girls name badge. Julie. She made a mental note.

Julie hesitated. "Uh, I wasn't on duty that day, but give me a second, I'll just check the diary, see if anyone made any additional comments." She pulled the A4 diary out from under the desk and flipped to the date in question. She then read through all the days activities, making little sounds as she read, acknowledging certain details. She then looked back to Jenny. "I'm sorry but there's nothing out of the ordinary here ma'am."

Jenny frowned. "I'm sorry, but do you mind if I just check myself? There just might be something that perhaps you wouldn't think to notice."

Julie looked a little affronted, but handed the diary over all the same. Jenny looked down the neatly penned notes of the day. The usual stuff, conference arrangements, special requirements, checked off requests, and so on down the page. Nothing. She pursed her lips, then handed the diary back to the receptionist and smiled. "Thank you very much, you've been most helpful, Good Day!"

"You're welcome, have a nice day…oh and I hope you find him…" Julie called after, to Jenny's retreating back. "…or her…whatever!" She looked on slightly irritated by the British woman's' demeanour then decided it was because she was a cop, and she guessed all cops were like that, wherever they were from! She brightened up then went over to help the next customer.

Jenny walked through the lobby doors and breathed in the fresh, clean Californian air. Now what? She looked around and saw a hotel porter approach her.

"Good day ma'am, can I be of assistance? Do you need a cab?" Jenny smiled at him. "Oh no thank you!" She saw he was in his early fifties, clean shaven, grey hair peeking out from under his cap. A nice, open pleasant face. The face of a decent sort, she would like to believe. But she just too cynical.

She then stepped towards him. "Actually you may be able to help me." She once again displayed her ID and looked at the man to gauge his reaction.

The porter surprised her slightly by taking his hat off and tipping his head at her. "I'd be very pleased to be of any assistance I can, ma'am, my name's Harry. How can I help?" His smile was broad and friendly, and he had an endearing twinkle in his eye. Some small child's favourite grandfather or uncle, Jenny mused.

"Well…um…Harry, someone went missing from this hotel last Friday, about 9pm." Jenny decided she could trust this fellow and her instincts were so very rarely wrong. She took out a photograph of Jessica Rhys-Davies and showed it to Harry. He immediately smiled his broad smile again, when he saw the girl in the photo, then frowned deeply.

"Oh, Miss Davies is missing?" He said, his voice telling with concern. "Gee, that's really awful! She's such a nice girl! Always says hello and that you know?" Harry looked back at Jenny. "Yeah, always uses her manners and that, real nice-like!" Jenny let Harry talk. He looked again at the photo. "You don't get too many visitors who are pleasant to guys doing my job you know?" Suddenly, he screwed his eyebrows together in thought. "Wait a minute, wait a minute!" He exclaimed.

"What is it Harry, you know something?" Jenny prompted.

"Well I don't know, it might help, I don't know." He scratched his chin. "Last week, I saw Miss Davies coming out of the hotel, without her father. I had just emptied the cigarette butt cans, and was walking back toward the entrance. She didn't wait for a cab though, she just set off walking away from my end, down the sidewalk." Harry looked deep in thought.

"What day was this Harry, was it Friday?" Jenny suddenly felt things might just be starting to happen.

Harry again scratched his chin, maybe a nervous habit. "Uhh, you know, yeah, I think it was… it was late in the evening, I remember checking my watch, thinking it was kinda late for her to be going for a walk all alone! Yes, it was Friday, because my son picked me up after my shift, and he always picks me up on a Friday night and we go shoot some pool!"

"So Jessica…Miss Davies, just walked away and you haven't seen her since?" Jenny prompted again.

Harry popped his cap back in place. "No, that was the strange thing…just as she got to the end of the block, a Sedan pulled around the corner, she seemed to look at it for a minute, like she was deciding something, you know? Then she just got in back and the car turned around and drove off back round the corner."

Jenny patted Harry's arm. "OK, thanks so much Harry, this is a great help! Can you remember what colour the Sedan was, or did you see any of the licence plate?"

"Oh, the car was a light brown colour, like beige, you know? But it was too far away for me to check the plate, sorry ma'am."

Jenny smiled. "Oh no, like I said, you've been very helpful! This could just be the information we've been looking for!"

Harry smiled again. "Glad to have been of assistance!" Jenny pulled a bill from her purse and gave it to Harry, but he held up his hands. "Oh no ma'am!" he looked a little surprised. "No money necessary! I'm just glad to help, I hope you find Miss Davies and bring her back safe!"

Jenny gave him her warmest smile. She found herself cussing her cynicism, she knew he was a decent sort.

Ten minutes later, Jenny had called the agency and reported her findings. There had been no other breaks from the Townsend side of things, and she went back outside and Harry hailed a cab for her. His twinkle was warm, and she was reminded of her own past as a child. As her cab pulled away, she sat back and realised, as she looked at the passing scenery, that she was no longer nervous to be here, in fact, she was fired up, ready to go and get on with this case. There was a lot of questions, and not much time. Jessica Rhys-Davies life was most likely in the hands of some twisted thug who wouldn't care one way or the other if she eventually died…they never did. They needed answers fast, and no-one had any time to cool their heels.

Twenty minutes later, Jenny walked into the Townsend office and walked up to where Kelly and Kris were talking through things.

"Hey Jenny!" Kris looked up and smiled. "Charlie called after you called in. He's checking out the brown Sedan, but that's a long shot. He's also been looking into any connections between Aztec and ChemSoft…it seems that ChemSoft is vying for overseas contracts, including contracts with the UK Government."

"Oh, interesting!" Said Jenny. She sat down on the arm of one of the sofas.

Kelly looked up also, pleased that Jenny was back. She was starting to like Jenny all the more, for her professionalism and enthusiasm for the job. And she was really a nice person, she had decided. "Not only that, ChemSoft have major funding from our own Government, and as such, have a proviso in their contract that limits them to so many overseas contracts per year."

Kris walked around from Bosleys desk, and nearer to Jenny and Kelly. "But if ChemSoft exceed this annual quota, their home funding will be withdrawn…a major setback."

"Hmmm, so ChemSoft have obviously been keeping little secrets from your government?" Jenny said, taking out her notebook and jotting things down.

"Yup!" Kris nodded, "It sure looks that way."

"And," Jenny continued, "The contract that's up for grabs has been bid for by Aztec too?"

"Right on the nail again, Jenny!" Kelly was impressed further. Kris gave Kelly an almost imperceptible smile, with the corner of her mouth, which said to Kelly…OK I give in…I like her!

Jenny then gave a drawn out 'hmmm' sound, and drew her eyebrows together in thought.

Kris looked Jenny's way. "Penny for them?"

Jenny looked at Kris then Kelly. "Well, as I was riding over here in the taxi, I did think that maybe someone at ChemSoft wanted Mr Davies distracted and out of the way, so that they could set things in motion for an aggressive take-over of Aztec. His daughters kidnap would be the perfect distraction. Mr Davies is a tough business cookie, but even he surely can't function properly with all this going on." She shrugged her shoulders slightly.

Kelly looked at Kris, then back to Jenny. It was a relief Jenny was being totally open with them all the way. No flags getting in the way!

"And I would have thought that too, but Kris pointed out that it was possible that Davies is being blackmailed over something he's not telling us, and the kidnap is to keep him quiet." Kelly stood up and began to pace a little. "So now if Davies has found out about ChemSoft somehow, and was going to blow their amicable deal away, with a little blackmail of his own…" Kelly let the sentence trail, as her thoughts twirled, loose threads flying, but not connecting.

Jenny finished the sentence for her.

"Mr Davies is either walking a very narrow tightrope indeed… or … ChemSoft have all the cards." She grimaced. "Either way, Jessica is still out there somewhere and we have nothing solid."

Kelly looked over at Jenny. "But what about Jenny's disappearance? What you told us just seems too strange. Why would she just get in a strange car voluntarily?"

Now it was Kris's turn to 'hmmm'. "You know? Kelly you were right earlier when you said that you felt something about all this didn't feel right?" Kelly looked over to Kris.

"What are you thinking Kris?"

Kris thought for a moment, then said "You know, when we haven't got much to go on, and we're groping around in the dark? I think, 'what's the profit in this'?"

Jenny looked a bit surprised at Kris. "The profit?"

Kris looked at Jenny and grinned. "Yeah sure, millions of dollars in funding and contracts and business tycoonery…but!" She absently scratched at the side of her nose. "What if…we're looking at this from completely the wrong angle?"

Jenny looked thoughtful. "Kris, I don't know you all that well, but am I on your wavelength when I say, you think that maybe Rhys-Davies has something to do with his own daughters kidnapping?"

Kelly looked surprised, but then also thoughtful. "Well, it's another 'what if', but it's still a possibility…"

Kris shrugged then let out a big sigh. "Oh I feel really frustrated with this!" She stood up. "Are we actually getting anywhere or are we just talking in circles here?" She walked over to the bar. "I need caffeine!" She laughed out loud. "Oh no, I sound like Sabrina!"

"Has anyone heard from Sabrina?" Jenny asked.

Kelly shook her head. "Not yet, but she should be calling in soon." She checked her watch. It was 5.35pm. She felt a bit tired and headachy. "Hey Kris, would you mind pouring me a coffee? You want one too Jenny? Oh sorry, tea?"

Jenny smiled. "Oh no, when in Rome and all that…I would kill for a nice coffee actually!"

The office door suddenly opened and Bosley walked in, laden with take-out food.

Kris sniffed and smelt the wonderful aroma of Chinese food. "Oh Bosley, you're an Angel!" Bosley grinned. "How sweet of you Kris! I had to go out anyway to get my car serviced…you're welcome!" He smiled and let the Angels attack the food.

The gang crowded around the food, and then as if on cue, Sabrina walked in on the proceedings and strode straight for the food. "Oh wow, great, I'm starving!" She plonked herself down on a sofa and kicked off her shoes.

"An hour and a half in a gruelling interview, followed by a guided tour of the R & D labs, smelling all kinds of whiffy stuff…it's a wonder I'm not high!" She exclaimed. "Anyone got coffee on the go?" Then Kris, Kelly and Jenny all laughed, to the amusement of Bri.

As everyone ate, Bosley was filled in on things so far, then just as the last scrap of fried rice had been finished off, the phone rang, and Bosley picked up. All the girls looked over as Bosley greeted Mr Rhys-Davies and then listened intently to what he had to say.

"I see." "Alright, thank you Mr Rhys-Davies, we'll inform Mr Townsend and get right on it." "Yes, I understand your frustration… we are doing everything possible…." Bosley was deeply frowning. "Of course Mr Rhys-Davies. Thank you again, we'll be in touch first thing in the morning. Goodbye." He put the phone down and turned to everyone.

"Mr Rhys-Davies just had a call at his hotel room. A one million dollar ransom has just been demanded, before 12 noon on Wednesday."

There was a small silence, then Kris scowled. "At last! Something makes sense!"

"Or does it?" Kelly looked at the pattern on the carpet, then looked up at the group. "This isn't getting us anywhere!" She felt very frustrated at having nothing to do. They needed to take action, take control of the situation. Her knee began to bounce a little.

"Kelly, I know how you feel, but just where do we start?" Kris looked equally as frustrated.

"Well for one thing, I'm going over to Davies hotel right now, and ask him outright what else he knows, what is he hiding from us?…" Kelly stood up fast and was walking toward the door when Sabrina caught her arm. "Not so fast, Kelly, slow down, huh?" She said, in a tone of re-assurance. She looked into Kelly's eyes and tried to let her know she was not alone in feeling helpless. Kelly looked right back at Bri, her green eyes flashing a little. Bri didn't like what she saw, and released Kelly's arm but stood in her way. "If you go over there now, with an attitude, when Davies is possibly not our target, things could get very messy very quickly." She again looked at Kelly, face to face, willing her to relent. Kelly did, as she saw the logic in what Sabrina had just said.

She sighed. "I'm sorry, you're right Bri! I'm just tired and fed up of feeling like we're going in circles!" Bri saw the danger had passed and gave Kelly's arm a quick rub.

"Sure Kel, I know, we're all feeling this way." She stepped away to give Kelly some space. Kris stood up also, and so did Jenny.

"Um look everyone, " Jenny began, not sure of the awkward silence. "I think we're all tired and a little wrung out. Why don't we take a break, and meet back here in about an hour or so, to decide how to play things tomorrow?"

Bosley looked at Jenny. "Good idea Jenny. I'll call Charlie and let him know about the ransom demand." He walked over to his desk.

Kelly was staring at the floor again, and Kris and Sabrina were edgy. Kris went over and sat next to Kelly. "Hey Kel, maybe we'll feel better in the morning when we get a good nights sleep, huh? Even Angels need to rest sometime!" She tried a small smile toward her friend. It worked.

"Sure!" Kelly smiled back. Kris could see the tiredness around Kelly's eyes, and wondered why Kelly was taking this case so hard. She would talk it over with Bri…maybe something was going on with Kelly…

Kelly saw that Kris seemed to be studying her. "Hey, what you doing, psyching me out?" She scoffed. So not gonna happen, she thought inwardly. She smiled again at Kris. "Come on. Let's all go get some air." She stood up and so did Kris, and they linked arms and headed for the door. Sabrina passed Jenny her jacket, and noted the concerned look on her new friends face. "It's OK Jen…sorry Jenny!" Bri corrected herself. She was too used to shortening everyone's names. "Kelly's OK, she just gets very involved with some cases sometimes!" She gave Jenny a re-assuring smile as they went over to the office door. "Jenny felt a little better for Sabrina's openness. "Of course, I'm sure we all do from time to time! And Jen's OK too, I don't mind!"

Bosley watched the girls disappear out of the door and felt a knot of worry in his stomach. Things were definitely not going well. Charlie would roast his ample butt if he didn't keep him up to date…on everything. He picked up the receiver.


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry it's taken a while to update... been trying to get this chapter just right! Please don't find offence at JRD's bad behaviour towards 'the yanks', it's just for the story, no personal agenda whatsoever, I love many many things American...one especially of course being CA's! Hope you enjoy the drama! **

**(Rights obviously belong to A. Spelling & Leonard Goldberg)**

* * *

The four girls strode along the sidewalk, Kris and Jenny together, then Sabrina and Kelly following a little behind. Kris had a twofold reason for walking with Jenny: one, she wanted to try to get to know her a little better, ask about her home, family, job etc., and two, she hoped Bri would pick up on the chance to ask Kelly what was going on with her. All four girls were so exasperated with this case, a healthy momentary dose of fresh air seemed appropriate to try clear their heads, help them think things through.

Sabrina and Kelly initially walked side by side in companionable silence for a few minutes, each half listening to Kris's conversation with Jenny. Kelly seemed to be self absorbed once more. Sabrina allowed Kelly a little space and thought how best to approach Kelly with her question…was she taking Jessica's kidnap personally because of her traumatic time as a child? It seemed quite likely, and Sabrina had to get Kelly to open up, or there would be a distinct possibility that she could just go off half-cocked and end up in trouble…or at the very least, have something else in her head to try and make sense of all by herself…which was just not healthy, especially for Kelly. Finally Sabrina cleared her throat.

"Ahh, Kelly, you know, you've been wound up tighter than a rattle snake just lately…" Bri ventured, not unkindly. "Wanna vent?" She looked Kelly's way briefly then turned to face ahead again, not wanting to be too much in her friends personal space. Kelly looked up from the pavement she was watching slide by, with her measured steps. She sighed, irritated.

"Aren't you wound up with this case Bri?" Kelly's tone was slightly accusatory, trying to shift the issue back toward Sabrina. she wanted to deflect attention from her feelings. She knew exactly why she was "wound up" but wasn't sure it would help to talk about it. She knew Bri wanted her to open up…to vent a little…but this wasn't the time or place, she decided. She wanted to get back to the office in case they were missing anything. She schooled her facial muscles into an expression of neutrality and as Sabrina cast a quick sideways look at her friend, she caught the all too familiar expression.

"Sure, Kel! But you know," Sabrina said in a hushed tone, as she took a bold step forward in the conversation, "whatever has happened to Miss Rhys-Davies, whatever she is going through…" Bri deliberately looked across at Kelly as she said this, openly gauging Kelly's response, and saw Kelly's eyes narrow, her expression set. Sabrina continued. "…it is NOT your fault, or mine, Kris's or Jenny's. It is our responsibility to find her, but it is NOT our responsibility that she's been taken way and shut up somewhere, in the first place." She finished, again, taking care to speak kindly and re-assuringly.

Kelly caught the two words, "shut up" and stopped and turned to Sabrina, eyes glinting dangerously again. Had Sabrina just deliberately pushed her with those two words? She might has well have just pushed her physically! She suddenly felt betrayed and angry at her friend for trying to dredge up her past like this! How dare she! She took a step closer to Sabrina and looked her straight in the eye, wanting to say or do something in retaliation. Sabrina for her part, was waiting. Waiting for either a slap, or something even worse! But it would be worth it if she could again get past Kelly's barrier and help her friend to sort through her feelings. Perhaps this wasn't the right place, but there was no time to mess about and Kelly needed to understand that. She needed to understand that emotional outbursts were not going to help find Jessica, and time was not on their side. She watched the anger and hurt rise up in Kelly's eyes, watched her face darken, and then put her hand on Kelly's arm. "Please Kelly, just talk to me?"

The warm depth of feeling in Sabrina's voice and the deep concern in her eyes took the wind right out of Kelly's sails, then, and her temper abated as she breathed out steadily, keeping eye contact for a moment longer. Then she looked down to where Bri's hand still lightly clutched her arm. Sabrina let go, and Kelly looked back at Sabrina. "You're right, Bri" She forced a small smile "I can't take the weight of everyone's problems on my shoulders huh? It doesn't work, I know." Kelly paused to gather her thoughts and Sabrina inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

"But this girl could be lying somewhere dark, terribly alone, terribly afraid…?" she looked down, sighed, then looked up again at Sabrina, who was watching her carefully. "…we've got to find her. You understand?" Kelly's even tone and clear eyes told Sabrina that Kelly was calm once more. Right at that moment, she felt so proud of Kelly - that she had gone through so much and continued to take on all that life kept throwing at her, while always trying to look out for other people. She smiled warmly at Kelly.

"I know Kel, I know." And Kelly understood that Sabrina did know. And she was grateful for that, and grateful for Sabrina's friendship…however differently it manifested itself! She smiled back at Sabrina.

"Come on, we've got work to do!"

Kelly waved at Kris and Jenny, who had continued walking a little, but then stopped when they realised Kelly and Sabrina had stopped. Kris felt a little nervous about what was being said between Kelly and Sabrina. She couldn't catch any words but at one point it looked as though Kelly was actually going to hit Bri for some strange reason, but then thankfully she backed off, and as Kris and Jenny watched, the two seemed to be ok again.

Jenny was perplexed even more with all this odd behaviour and Kris did her best to re-assure her of their teams unity. She realised that this was bordering on unprofessional behaviour and knew that Jenny would have a few stories to go back to the UK with. But the main thing was that they remained focussed on the job and that was what this little break outside was about. She waved back at Kelly and they walked back to her and Sabrina, then back to the office.

As they walked in through the door, Bosley was on the phone again. He motioned them over, and the 4 girls walked over to Bosley's desk and listened in.

"OK, Mr Longman, you've seen a beige Sedan parked outside an old theatre on the corner of Saltlake and…Florence Avenue, in Huntington Park? Yes, yes I know…" He looked over to the Angels and gave them a querying look.

Kris looked at Kelly, who furrowed her brow as she jotted down the details and waited for anything else from the phone call. Jenny also creased her brow…Harry from the Maybridge Hotel? She had left him her card…

"OK thank you Mr Longman, thank you for calling! Goodbye." Bosley hung up then turned back to the group. " I know it's a long-shot ladies, but" He looked at Jenny "your guy Harry Longman from the hotel said he is over visiting his son in Huntington Park and saw the car. This theatre has been boarded up for years, it's deserted, only kids hang around there sometimes…"

"Huntington Park?" Kris exclaimed. "That's quite a hike!"

Kelly grabbed her bag and headed out. "It's a lead, isn't it? What are we waiting for?" The rest of the group almost ran out of the door after Kelly and Bosley again picked up the phone to Charlie.

They reached the end of Florence Avenue in around thirty minutes, and as Kelly's Mustang slowed and pulled over, they were relieved to see the Sedan still parked up. Kelly turned to Kris in the front seat.

"Kris, you got the licence plate?" Kris pulled out a small notebook and jotted the detail down.

"Yeah Kelly, I'll call it in to Bos." She picked up the car phone and dialled and the others waited patiently until she'd informed Bosley then hung up.

Sabrina leaned forward a little, from the back seat. "OK, let's take this real slow, huh? If we've got pay dirt, we don't wanna spook anybody!"

Jenny also leaned forward. "Shouldn't we be calling for back-up, contact the local police?" She queried. This was routine procedure, surely, she thought, a little dismayed.

Kelly looked at Jenny and noted that her comment was not borne from any frightened anxiety on her part. "You're right Jenny, but I think we should just go check things out first, and then if necessary, one of us can make the call." She answered. "Too much activity might alert whoever's in there." This was met with nods and "Rights." from everyone, and Kelly then motioned for everyone to get out the car. They quietly decided to split up, Sabrina and Kelly taking the front entrance, while Kris and Jenny took the back.

As Kris and Jenny made their way around the back of the building, Kris noted how old the building was. The brickwork seemed to be in imitation of possibly the English Georgian era - she made a mental note to ask Jenny about it later. Obviously been a nice place at one time, putting on some good shows no doubt, she thought. Now the place looked ready for demolition! Shame! They reached the back door and noted that the lock had been shot through, leaving easy access. The door opened quietly and Kris crept in first, gun drawn, listening for the slightest sound. Jenny came right behind her, letting her eyes adjust to the gloomy darkness inside, her weapon also drawn. They were stood in a small corridor, which presumably led to backstage. They crept along, trying to get their bearings as much as they could in the gloominess. Jenny had drawn the door almost shut behind them, and a thin sliver of light only managed to illuminate so far. Kris reached the end of the corridor and listened. Nothing. Kelly and Bri were doing their job well also. She peaked round and saw the back of the stage, and could smell old musty material. She wrinkled her nose. It was quite dusty in here as well, she hoped she didn't need to sneeze! Jenny tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to a narrow staircase off to the side. It was concrete, thank goodness - no creaky wooden stairs giving them away. Jenny pointed up and Kris nodded in agreement. As they walked to the bottom of the step, Jenny again tapped her shoulder and put her head to one side, listening. Kris stopped and listened. Was that a muffled voice coming from up stairs somewhere, or…?

Jenny again motioned up and Kris began climbing slowly and cautiously. The place was so old, the noise could have been anything, but someone must be around here someplace, someone who drove a beige Sedan…

Kris reached the top of the stairs and flattened herself as much as possible to the wall, before putting her head close to the corner, to listen further.

Jenny decided it was a voice she could hear, just odd words, quietly uttered. Someone must be in a room with the door shut. She felt the weight of her small pistol in her hand, and hoped she wouldn't have to pull the trigger on anyone. The weapon of course went with the territory, but it didn't mean she was ever complacent about harming people or ending anyone's life with it. Kris looked at Jenny and tipped her head in the direction the sounds were coming from, then so very carefully checked around the corner then eased herself around, treading slowly and quietly. Jenny followed, taking in the layout of the corridor as she went. She could make out 3 doors on the opposite side. Kris stopped to listen once more. The voice had stopped. Kris was wondering if they should wait for Kelly and Bri to reach them. She wondered if Jenny was thinking the same. They could be faced with anything…maybe they should have called for back-up? She glanced at Jenny who was looking at her, waiting for their next move.

It was decided for them. The door at the end opened, and two people came out, one shining a torch. Jenny and Kris both immediately pointed their guns. "Don't move!" Jenny commanded, squinting as the flashlight was played across hers, then Kris's face.

A mans voice muttered "What the hell…?"

"Hold it!" Kris also commanded. "Both of you, get your hands up now! Roll the torch over here!" There was hesitation from the two people. "NOW! DO IT!" Kris urged impatiently, authority in her voice. The torch beam lowered, then hit the floor as the torch was shoved in their direction. Jenny stepped forward and scooped it up, then illuminated the two people before them.

"Oh, oh thank goodness!" A woman's voice, full of anxiety, gasped. Jenny played the torch on the wiry young woman in front of her, and Kris looked her over too. She instantly saw the similarity from the photograph. "Jessica? Are you Jessica Rhys-Davies?" She was so surprised! Had they found her? About an hour ago, they had diddly squat on Jessica's whereabouts, and now they were practically bumping into her! Thank you, Harry Longman!

The woman started to come towards them. "I - yes, - I - can't believe you've found me, oh please, please help me! Please just get me out of here!" She reached Kris and Jenny and threw her arms around Jenny, making sobbing sounds in her throat. Jenny embraced her gently.

"It's OK Jessica, it's alright, we've got you, you're safe now! Are you hurt?" She drew Jessica back a little to try and look her over. She couldn't really tell with the lack of light, and Kris, although she wanted to check her out also, needed to keep the torch trained on the man.

"I…uh, no…" Jessica stammered, sounding like she was going to cry. Jenny tried to re-assure her once more.

Suddenly, the man turned and ran back into the room they'd just come out of.

"Hey STOP!" Kris shouted. She didn't expect that, damn, she was too busy thinking about poor Jessica. Where were Kelly and Bri? What's keeping them? She ran up to the door, expecting the man to be trying to get out of a window somehow, but she was surprised yet again when the man came flying out at her, knocking her into the wall opposite. She yelped in pain as her head made contact with the wall. She lost the torch and it bounced away from her, the beam shining down towards Jenny, who held Jessica around the shoulder. Then a shot boomed out. Kris looked up and watched in shock as Jenny was thrown against the opposite wall with the force of the shot, and the man ran past them and headed down the stairs as Jenny then slid down the wall, her eyes closing, her own gun falling from her hand. Kris heard Jessica shout "No!" as she got up and ran over to Jenny, collecting the torch as she did so, praying she was going to be OK. But as she knelt down to her colleague, and shone the torch over her, Kris felt suddenly sick. "Jenny, oh please no…" Kris reached to feel for Jenny's pulse on her warm neck. She couldn't feel anything. She felt again and again, willing to feel that soft steady beat of life in her friend. Nothing. Blood was running everywhere over the front of Jenny's smart blouse, and Kris shone the torch over her again, saw the gaping red hole that went through her chest and then she knew there wasn't anything she could do for Jenny. Kris sobbed.

"Jenny! Oh Jenny! I'm so sorry…" She whispered. Tears sprung up ran down her cheeks as she smoothed Jenny's hair out of her face. "That son of a bitch is gonna pay for this!" She breathed, hot anger rising like a tide of volcanic lava. She stood up, her mind reeling. She could hear some commotion downstairs. Jessica was just looking at her in shock, seemingly not knowing what to do.

There was suddenly shouting and she heard Sabrina's voice telling the man to stay put. Then she ordered him back upstairs and as they came up and around the corner, Kris shone the torch at them, both Sabrina and Kelly pushing and keeping a steady aim on the man they had caught and taken a gun off.

"Kris are you okay?" Asked Kelly, very much alarmed. She could see Kris kneeling by a figure. "What happened?" She didn't immediately understand what was going on, or who the woman was, who was standing near Kris. Kris looked up.

"We found Jessica, but…" She shone the torch down to Jenny. "Jenny's gone!" Kris's voice was hoarse, as she gulped back more tears, needing a hug from her friend right now, and at the same time wanting to put a bullet through the killers own heart.

Kelly drew her breath in, stunned. No! It wasn't possible! Her jaw dropped in shock. They'd just been talking in the car… How…? She looked down at Jenny.

"Aw noooo…" She heard Sabrina cry, next to her. Sabrina saw that Kelly had the man covered and knelt beside Kris, taking in the horrific scene before her. She put her arm around Kris.

She was so stunned to see Jenny's life cut short like this, she could hardly take it in. She shook her head almost in disbelief.

Kris looked at Sabrina, and knew she felt exactly the same.

"C'mon Kris, we gotta get Jessica out of here, OK?" Sabrina said, feeling her own voice go hoarse, squeezing Kris's shoulder with her arm, trying to comfort her a little, but she herself couldn't take her eyes off Jenny's face. Kris still held the torch over Jenny's body and the light allowed Sabrina to see Jenny's features up close - a smattering of small freckles across her small nose, a slightly dimpled chin… things she had noticed before and now she'll never forget. She felt Kris' eyes one her and looked across at her, desperately saddened, suddenly speechless.

Kelly suddenly didn't feel aware of anyone else in the corridor except herself and Jenny's killer. She felt her gut twisting and a hot rage surged through her body. She stepped closer towards the man that had just killed their colleague and raised her gun higher, putting it right to his head. A switch had just been thrown in Kelly's mind, and now she felt so much anger she almost felt frightened of it.

The man suddenly seemed nervous.

"Hey, you can't shoot me, you're a cop!" He half laughed, his voice sounding tense. Kelly looked intently at his face, as if she was studying him. He was not much taller than her, and was leanly built. She felt she could knock him down if she wanted too, but she didn't want to. She wanted to make him pay for what he'd just done. She jabbed the gun into his temple.

"I'm not a cop!" She said tersely. "And if I want to shoot you…" She paused, prodding the gun into him again, "…then nothing's gonna stop me." She finished coolly. She really wanted a reaction out of him.

"Kelly, wait!" Sabrina warned, extending her arm towards Kelly. She stood up and walked towards Kelly, afraid that Kelly might actually do some damage here.

Kelly never took her eyes off the man, but made a movement with her fingers around the trigger of her gun.

"NO!" The man suddenly realised the danger he was in. "No! Stop, please! It wasn't me! It was all her idea!" He suddenly began to babble, pointing in Jessica's direction.

"You're lying!" Kelly said back to him, smoothly.

"I swear I'm not!" The man almost wailed. "She wants her old mans company, wants him out of the way, she hates his guts, wants to ruin him…it's all a scam...!"

"SHUT UP you idiot!" Jessica shouted, cutting him off. Kelly was suddenly confused. What the hell was going on here? She saw Kris and Sabrina turn their attention to Jessica, then Kris looked back at Kelly. She couldn't get her head round this! Suddenly Jessica moved and grabbed hold of Kris's hair, pulling her up from the floor and towards her. The next thing Kris knew, she had a knife at her throat and Jessica was no longer the innocent girl at the party. She deftly pulled Kris's gun off her as she jabbed the blade into the soft skin of Kris's neck. Kris let her take the gun, and winced, feeling the blade cut in, inwardly acknowledging that Jessica was in charge… for now.

"Throw your guns over here NOW," Jessica ordered Kelly and Sabrina, "or the pretty blonde gets it!"

Kelly's stomach lurched, and she threw her gun to the floor. Sabrina followed suit, and the man turned and punched Kelly hard in the face, sending her reeling to the floor.

"Hey!" Sabrina yelled, then knelt down to her friend. "Kelly, Kelly are you okay?" She was relieved to see that Kelly wasn't knocked out cold, and was trying to sit up.

"That's what ya get for sticking a gun in my face, sweetheart!" He sneered at Kelly as she was helped by Sabrina. He gathered up Sabrina and Kelly's guns.

Kelly looked at Sabrina, trying to focus on her. Her head felt like it was going to explode, and her jaw felt numb.

"M'okay!" She managed to say, and Sabrina helped her to stand, and held onto her, just in case she needed support. Oh boy, Sabrina thought with so much distress, this was all going so very wrong, so very quickly!

"Alright, that's enough, Jim." Jessica said to the man. "Drop the torch, sweetie!" She then said to Kris. "Drop it NOW and kick it towards Jim!"

Kris obliged, wondering how they were going to get out of this. She could see Kelly and Sabrina looking at her, and she tried to smile a little to show she was doing okay. Even though really she wasn't. Really, she was far from okay, but she had to keep a lid on it and look for a way to get out of this.

Jessica then backed up the corridor a little and yanked Kris's head back as she went, keeping the knife right under Kris's chin. Again, Kris winced in pain. "Ow!" She whispered.

"Shut up blondie! Jim, find something to tie those two up with. Hurry!" Jim took up the torch and went back into the room he and Jessica had been in, to look for something suitable. Jessica moved along the corridor with Kris, towards the stairs.

Kelly was now almost shaking with rage. Sabrina could feel Kelly's anger coming off her in waves, and squeezed her friends arm, although knowing it wouldn't do much good, but Sabrina herself felt in need of a little contact too.

"So, all your idea, then?" Said Kelly, her ice-cool voice belying the anger. She wished she could get a good look at this woman's face, to see what kind of a person arranges their own kidnap just to spite their father! And she was enraged all the more so by the fact that they had all been duped by this nasty scheming Brit, and now Jenny was dead because of her!

"What if it was?" Jessica was smirking. "My father is a fool! He wants to sell out to an American company!" She curled her lip in disgust.

"I've got bigger and better plans than that," she continued. "I'm not letting our brilliant people be dominated by _your _Yankee interfering! The British people are going to make very big strides in the technology race, and I'm going to make sure my British company stays up there with the best!" She bragged, feeling very confident of everything she said.

Kelly looked at her, not believing what she was hearing.

"You are one sick, bitter and twisted woman, you know that?" Kelly looked at Jessica, just wishing she could knock her head off her smug shoulders. But first, she had to get Kris away from her somehow. She couldn't see Kris's face properly in the poor light, but somehow knew Kris would be looking to her and Bri for re-assurance. It's okay Kris, we won't let her hurt you! She wished Kris could read her mind, but then she thought, sometimes it's like she can!

Jim re-appeared from the room and came over with the torch and some rope he had found in amongst the old props that were still lying around.

"Ahh good." Jessica said, ignoring Kelly's words deliberately. "You two, face the wall, kneel down and put your hands on your head!" She looked at Sabrina and Kelly with contempt. "I don't have to remind you that your friends life rests in my hands?"

Kelly and Sabrina did as they were told, and when they were on their knees, Jessica ordered Jim to tie their hands behind their backs, and tie their ankles too.

"Good." She smiled. Then suddenly, she pushed Kris hard into the wall where they stood and Kris didn't have time to put her hands up to stop the force of the push, and her forehead cracked the brick with a nasty sound. Kris felt like a million firecrackers had just gone off in her head, and she fell down, her head hammering, blood starting to seep from the wound made by the impact, and she felt like she was going to pass out. Jessica looked disdainfully down at Kris and then stepped out of her way. "Now tie this one up Jim, but just her hands behind her back." She put her knife away and took out Kris's gun, trying to examine it in the gloom, waiting for Jim to do his job.

Kelly and Sabrina looked at each other, distraught. What was Jessica's next move, Sabrina tried to figure, anxiously. What was her plan with Kris? She didn't have to figure long. Jim had finished tying up Kris, and looked up at Jessica questioningly. She sighed. "Thank you Jim." She sounded pleased.

He stood up and smiled. "We need to get going Jess." He was nervous of her, he had just blabbed on her, but she seemed to have laid it aside. But he remained wary, and decided they could get out of this, if he could keep his head and play things cool.

"Of course. But you know, our being discovered could have worked to our advantage?" Her tone sounded conversational, almost friendly, and Jim felt guilty, yet slightly at ease with the way his accomplice was talking. Then Jessica's tone changed abruptly as she snarled, "You're a fool!"

Her harsh words stung Jim, but then Jessica didn't give him a chance to respond as the shot from her gun stung him more than words ever could - straight in the chest, point blank. He flew back, dead before he hit the ground. Jessica then went over to Jim's body and fished out his keys from his jacket pocket, put them into her own pocket.

"That will teach me to be more careful," She said to no-one in particular. "I knew I shouldn't have trusted a yank." She muttered.

She then went over to Kris and dragged her up by the hair again. Kris protested weakly, trying not to throw up, her head spinning so much. Jessica jabbed her gun into Kris's side.

"You're coming with me blondie!" She pulled Kris with her to the top of the stairs, then turned back to look over her shoulder at Sabrina and Kelly, who were still kneeling, hands and feet tied, but looking back at Kris in Jessica's grasp, both feeling helpless and so worried for their friend.

"The ransom is now for pretty little blondie!" Jessica said menacingly. "Enjoy the show!" And with that, she dragged a semi-conscious Kris down the stairs.

Kelly looked over at Sabrina and they both got the same idea together. Back to back, they could work at each others ropes. But they had to stand up first. It took a few minutes of pushing and heaving against each other, and cursing when they collapsed to the floor at one point, but finally they managed to get upright together. In another situation, Sabrina thought wryly, this would have seemed comical. But this wasn't a time for laughing.

"Hurry Bri, we gotta catch up with her!" Kelly felt so worried for Kris, she didn't care if she was stating the obvious.

Sabrina stood back to back with Kelly trying desperately to work the rope off from Kelly's wrists.

"I know, I know!" Sabrina said, wishing she had something else to get at the thin rope with. It was tied well, and not being able to see what she was doing was making it so much harder! She worked quickly, but knew it wasn't quick enough.

"Oh c'mon Bri!" Kelly was frantic.

"I'm trying! Here, you try mine!" They switched, Sabrina needing Kelly to keep her mind focussed. Kelly worked silently at the rope for a few minutes, then suddenly stopped and stiffened.

"Bri, can you smell something burning?"

"No, just get…wait, yeah!"

Sabrina's eyes went wide - she could definitely smell something burning…and she could also hear little tiny crackles of wood - dry wood - as it burnt somewhere downstairs.


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks for all your encouraging reviews! Again, please don't take any offence at Jessica's outbursts...it's just a plot thickener...a bit like when you need a gravy thickener! If neone's offended, pls let me know...but she will get her just deserts in the end! Thank you for reading!**

* * *

Jessica pulled a still dazed Kris out of the back door of the theatre and roughly dragged her by her hair still, up the street towards the Sedan, urging her with threats to get a move on. She still held the knife to Kris's side, and Kris was well aware that Jessica was not shy to use it. But Kris was slowing her down a little, as she stumbled along the street, and this just infuriated Jessica further. "Move!" She seethed, and she yanked Kris's hair even harder, and Kris screeched, feeling some of her roots tear out.

"Aghhhh, Okay OKAY!" Kris gasped, trying to clear her head and take note of what was going on around her. She wasn't sure, but Jessica had stopped for some reason just before they headed towards the back exit of the building. She had wondered vaguely if she'd forgotten something and Kris had tried to crawl away and hide somewhere, but Jessica had returned quickly, found Kris trying to squirm away and had belted the side of Kris's face, splitting her cheek with a ring. Now Kris could feel a lump forming and she was really having trouble seeing properly.

They got to the car and Jessica roughly pushed Kris into the back, then slid her knife back up to Kris's throat with a look of complete ill intent. Kris blinked hard to look into her face. Jessica's eyes were a cold grey colour in contrast to her shoulder length dark brown hair, and as Kris looked into those flint-hard unyielding eyes, she read the clear signs of danger there.

"You make one move to try and get out of this car" Jessica leaned right up to Kris's face "and I WILL just blow your damned head off, because believe me, I'm beginning to think you're just not worth it, and…" She pressed the blade into Kris's skin again "…you know what happens when someone hacks me off!." She finished in a snarl which confirmed to Kris there was plenty of things not right with this woman. Her voice at that point, was almost as deep as a mans, and had an edge that made Kris's skin crawl.

She inwardly shuddered and decided she'd better just lie back for the moment - she wasn't really in a state to do much else anyway. Besides, Kelly and Bri surely wouldn't be too far behind. Kelly was ready to take this Jessica to hell and back, she thought, and so Kris just nodded slowly at her captor and sank back into the seat. She felt so defeated, it wasn't like her to give up, but she just couldn't fight the pain in her head.

Jessica shut and locked both back doors quickly, got into the front seat, and started the car.

As the car moved off from the pavement, Kris looked out of the window, blinking rapidly, direct sunlight hurting her eyes and making her head swim again, and then a thought hit her…why hadn't Jessica blindfolded her or something? A mistake? But then, she reasoned, she wasn't exactly on form, it was a wonder she wasn't out cold! She closed her eyes against the glare of the sun, unable to handle the pain any longer, even though the sun was low in the sky now. She vaguely wondered what time it was. Her head hurt so much and everything was dancing and rolling behind her eyes, and a prickling sensation kept making its way down the back of her skull, which made her feel sick. She slightly opened her eyes again, trying to relieve the nausea but there was no relief. The car kept lurching and speeding, and Kris just wished she could go to sleep and wake up, and it was all just a terrible bad dream… she closed her eyes once more, feeling so completely consumed with pain, then finally, she lost consciousness.

As the car moved away from the pavement, a green car parked much further down the street, had pulled out and discreetly followed the Sedan.

* * *

"She's set the place on fire Bri!" Kelly almost shouted, "we gotta get out, NOW!"

"I KNOW!" Bri almost shouted back. "But we can't get out like this!" Sabrina felt panic begin to rise… she remembered the last time she was caught in a fire…she really thought her number was up, then, thankfully Kris, Kelly and Bos were suddenly there - they pulled her out… But there was no back-up this time!

"Wait!" Kelly exclaimed. "Where's my bag?" She began to look around, turning and inspecting the floor.

"Kelly, I don't know, but now's not the time to fix your make-up!" Sabrina gasped, beginning to smell the smoke more strongly now.

"No, it's got my lock-pick tube in it! I know I dropped it when I was hit, but I don't remember seeing it after…" Kelly continued searching the floor, and her gaze kept flicking towards Jenny's then Jims bodies. She steeled herself to look further in that direction, but couldn't really see much in the dark corridor.

"What good is a lock-pick Kelly? We're not in handcuffs you know!" Sabrina protested.

Kelly sighed in exasperation. "One of the picks' got a serrated edge! If we can just find it, it's better than nothing!" Kelly was getting irritated and a little panicked herself, at the thought of trying to get out of a blazing building. The smoke was surely coming up the stairs now, she could feel the back of her throat beginning to sting!

"You'll do for me, Kelly Garrett!" Sabrina said with a note of determination in her voice.

Sabrina began to peer down at the floor, remembering where Kelly fell. She could just make out a small shape near the wall. She shuffled over, trying to keep her balance.

"I see it, I think!" Sabrina shuffled some more and trod both feet on the dark bag-shaped item…it felt soft underfoot, but there was definitely a purse shaped thing inside.

"Okay, you know that crazy dance we did to get off the floor?" She said to Kelly. Kelly groaned. She knew they were going to have to get back down again, to attempt to get free with Kelly's tools, and it made it easier to go down back to back.

"On three!" Sabrina counted, and they both counterbalanced each other back to the floor, where Kelly reached around her bag with her long fingers and felt around inside for the tube. Ah gotcha! With a concentrated effort, she managed to pull the right tool out and began to saw away at Sabrina's ropes, all the while mindful of the smoke curling towards them, the sound of the fire getting louder and subdued flame-light bouncing up the walls of the stairs.

"Hey Kel?," Sabrina looked over her shoulder at her friend as she worked feverishly to free them. "You know, if there's anything you wanted to say to me, you know, any last words, like 'I never liked your necklaces, but you're a good pal!' then now's the time to say it, huh?" She joked.

Kelly huffed. "Bri, I never liked your necklaces, and…" She grunted as she worked still harder on the rope. "…don't ever push me like that again, or …" Just then, to Kelly's sheer delight, she felt the strands begin to give way and break. "Oh! Sabrina!" She grinned. "Try pulling your wrists apart!" Sabrina turned back to face front and complied, with a great effort. She too felt the rope give way, and pulled again. But it needed more work.

"Again!" Bri said, then began to cough as a thick swirl of smoke crept up to them. Kelly worked harder into the rope then began coughing too, and she pushed down so hard on the thin tool, that it bent in half, and she cursed loudly in frustration.

"It's okay Kel, I think you've done it!" Sabrina said, relief in her voice as she pulled even more fervently at her wrists. Suddenly it all gave way and she was free. She quickly turned herself around and kneeled at Kelly's back. "Okay Kelly, gimme a second here…" She yanked away at the knots, and using the bent lock-pick, she was able to get Kelly free quite quickly. They both now began to cough more and more, and their eyes began to stream. They untied their ankles and tried to cover their faces with their arms, but it did no good. They ran to the top of the stairs, both feeling bad about leaving Jenny there… but Jenny was dead…they had to survive to be able to do anything about her death. Kelly led the way downstairs, thankful once again that the stairs were concrete, but as she neared the bottom, the heat from the nearby flames made her falter. Sabrina and Kelly stopped at the bottom and looked at each other, coughing, holding their sleeves over their mouths, somewhat ineffectually, knowing looks passing between them. This was bad. The fire hadn't yet reached right up to the stage, but all the old musty curtains that had been going to ruin, were up in walls of flame, billowing, then gaping and dropping in mounds of burning material, to expose rails and beams above, which were also alight, They needed some cover, to dash through the end part of all this conflagration, to reach the corridor to the back exit - either that or try their luck through the isles out front, but that didn't seem to be an option, as suddenly, flames came licking their way from stage front, towards them.

Kelly doubled over as a coughing fit overwhelmed her. The heat and smoke was too much, she couldn't breathe, it felt like her lungs were on fire, or shrivelling from the heat itself. She felt Sabrina grab her shoulders and haul her in the direction they needed to go, then unable to look up or see anything, she felt Sabrina's arm slide alarmingly away from her shoulder.

"Sabrina!" Kelly tried to yell, her voice cracking, her lungs almost bursting, pulling herself upright and searching for her friend in the smoke.

"Hang on Kelly!" Sabrina's strained voice shouted to her a little distance away.

A few moments later, as Kelly staggered away from the scorching heat, she felt some large heavy material being thrown over her and Sabrina's arm was gripping her shoulders again.

Okay…Kel…" Sabrina gasped painfully, "got to…run…" Sabrina also coughed and gagged, "…through…" Kelly understood what Bri meant and started towards the corridor, where the flames still lingered and danced. She held her breath as much as she could as they ran through the burning heat, then retched after they passed through, but managed to stay on her feet, as she heard Sabrina coughing and gasping beside her, but feeling her wiry arm around her, pulling her down the corridor and to safety outside.

The back door flew open and the two angels ran out a short distance away, then staggered and collapsed onto their knees on the ground, coughing, retching, and so thankful to be able to breathe some clean air. Smoke was now billowing out of the exit, and Kelly realised they had to move further away to safety. She took some good breaths and felt the coolness of the outside air sooth her lungs somewhat. She coughed out some more smoke and looked through tear filled eyes at Sabrina, who was on her hands and knees, shaking and trying to vomit. She crawled over to her and put her arm around Bri's shoulder, feeling the shudders wracking her friends body.

"It's Okay Bri,… we're gonna be … okay!" She said between coughs and shudders of her own, rubbing Sabrina's back. "Try to breathe easy…"

Sabrina tried, grateful for Kelly's help, and felt a little better after she had coughed up more of the stinging toxic smoke. She sat back on her heels and gulped in more air, hearing Kelly wheezing and doing the same. She looked over to Kelly, and managed a small grin. "Nothing like fanning the flames of hatred, huh?" She quipped, then immediately went into another fit of coughing.

Kelly rolled her eyes.

"Bri, can you stand? We need to get to the car and find Kris!" Kelly helped Sabrina to stand, and as they supported each other to Kelly's car, they heard sirens coming towards them. Sabrina wondered briefly who had called emergency services… neighbours, probably. They reached Kelly's Mustang and stopped to recover some more. Kelly wiped at her stinging eyes and looked over the car roof at Bri as she leaned against the car, still filling her lungs with clean air then coughing and wheezing. Kelly saw the mess Bri was in, her face was streaked with a mix of tears, smoke residue and some little make-up, and her white blouse was ruined - she herself wouldn't look any better, she thought, and she also realised she reeked of smoke. She really felt the need for a shower, but that was way down on the list at the moment. This had been too close a call - she briefly looked back at the burning theatre and felt shocked at what had just happened in there. She heard the wails of sirens getting closer and hoped against hope that Jenny's body would be completely recoverable somehow. Jessica Rhys-Davies had messed with the wrong people. Now though, they had to somehow figure out where she had taken Kris.

"Sabrina, let's head back the way we came…" Kelly was unsure of their next move but got in the car, and Bri climbed in beside her. She looked across at Kelly and saw that she'd recovered enough to be able to drive.

"I'll call Bos, let him know what's going on." Sabrina said, then Kelly started the engine and they drove away from the fire and the clamouring sirens and poor Jenny Caine.

* * *

Bosley had turned down the side street by the theatre and drove down quite far, to park out of sight. He turned his car around to face up and just as he did so, he caught a glimpse of two people, one being dragged, it looked like, over to a car. He strained his eyes to see more clearly and his heart thumped. He could swear that was Kris being shoved in the back of the car…it was the brown Sedan, he was also sure! But who the heck was the woman? They were too far away for him to see the other woman clearly. Had Jessica had a female captor? Where were Sabrina and Kelly? What was going on? All these questions tumbled through Bosleys mind in quick succession as he watched the car begin to pull away from the kerb. He looked over to the old theatre and wondered why Kelly and Sabrina were no-where to be seen. They must be in trouble! He had to make a snap decision: follow Kris or go into the building to look for the other two angels…no contest. Kris was in more trouble, on her own…he decided Kelly and Sabrina could handle themselves - even more so with a little police support. He dialled Mobile Air and got back-up on its way, unaware of the fire beginning within the old theatre, then pulled slowly out to follow the Sedan.

He tailed the car cautiously, keeping a good distance behind, occasionally allowing the odd car to overtake, hopefully giving the driver no cause for any undue alarm. After about fifteen minutes, however, the car slowed and turned into a small store's parking lot. He continued driving past, not daring to look across as he drove by. He just hoped that Kris was okay. If he followed the car in, it could have disastrous consequences for Kris. He needed to hang back… for now. Bosley drove on another block, then turned down the next street, travelling a short distance down then turning to face back up, before he parked. He called Mobile Air again and asked for any possible assistance from the police helicopters. He gave them the Sedans details, then waited a few minutes, watching the end of the street. Just as Bosley had decided to head back up the street, the Sedan pulled into the top of the street, and the car drew level with his, and the driver wound her window down. He got a shock…it was Jessica Rhys-Davies!

"Miss Rhys-Davies!" Bosley exclaimed with surprise, about to get out of his car. Jessica Rhys-Davies then unexpectedly pulled a gun on Bosley and shot two of his tires through. He gasped and shrank back in his seat as Jessica then aimed her gun back up at him.

"What…?" Was all he managed to say before Jessica leaned out of her car and spoke to him with so much menace, he thought she was going to pull the trigger on him.

"I'm not stupid, who ever you are!" She spat. "Now you can't follow me! I want one million dollars in used notes and a fully fuelled Cessna at the disused airfield at the end of this road in one hour, got that?"

She then bent her arm back over her seat and levelled her gun at Kris's head while staring straight at Bosley with cold grey eyes that made him cringe inwardly.

"And if ANYONE tries ANYTHING stupid, blondie in the back there, will reap the consequences… do I make myself clear?" She snarled.

Bosley winced as he looked at Kris. Her eyes were closed, she was lying limp on the back seat, uncomfortably dropped to one side, with her hands tied behind her back. One side of her face looked very bruised and swollen. He looked angrily back at Jessica.

"Crystal!" he said, deadly serious. He wondered how in the world anyone could arrange what she asked for in one hour… well…hopefully Charlie could…

"One hour!" Jessica repeated to Bosley. "And if I don't get what I want, then no-one else will!" She glanced meaningfully towards the back seat, then Bosley watched in dismay as Jessica Rhys-Davies quickly reversed the Sedan away, turned around and sped back up the street. He felt powerless to do anything himself, but he hoped that one of the police helicopters was in the vicinity and was tracking down the Sedan all the same. Just as he was about to call Charlie for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, his phone rang, beating him to it. He snatched it up.

It was Sabrina.

"Bosley!" Sabrina's stressed voice came through. "Where are you? I just tried the office!"

"I'm not too far away from you, I think!" He said, worriedly. "How you both doing? I followed you out to Huntington Park, thought you could use some help, but I just saw Kris in the back of the beige Sedan with Jessica Rhys-Davies in command of the whole kidnap situation!" He exclaimed with confusion in his voice. "And Kris didn't look too good either!" He added, even more worried.

There was a strained pause, then Sabrina's voice came back. "I know, Bos, it's a long story, Kelly n me are okay now, but where are you? We gotta get to Kris before Jessica does any more damage!" She said, urgency clear in her voice.

"Well Miss Davies just shot my tyres out, she's heading west on Manchester Avenue, past the Harbor Freeway Junction… and she wants one million dollars and a plane outa here in one hour, at the old airfield at the end of Manchester Boulevard!" He said, his voice beginning to rise with tension.

"Okay Bosley, we're heading over to you now…wait a minute, wait a minute…Chemsoft is near that road! What's she doing round here anyway, within striking distance of a rival company?" Sabrina's brain was ticking through the possibilities. "Why didn't this worry me before?" Bosley heard the worried angel rebuke herself.

"Right, maybe she's got something up her sleeve there…" Bosley also pondered, then he changed tack . "Look, I gotta call Charlie and get the ransom deal arranged - call me when you've decided what you're going to do…" He informed Sabrina of his whereabouts then hung up and called Charlie.

* * *

Jessica drove on down Manchester Avenue, thinking things through and getting anxious that there weren't many hours of daylight left. She was not happy at all with the way things were going…she was supposed to be in control, damn those stupid detective women, it was all going so well. Too well, obviously. She did plan to go to Chemsoft to pick up the documents that would involve the American company in their Middle East scam. But now, thanks to that man tailing her, she'd had to bring her plans forward, things were hotting up and she needed to get away, and lie low for a while. She looked in her rear view mirror, then cast a quick look into the back where Kris was still out cold. Did she know about Chemsofts' illegal chemical dealings with Iran and Iraq? She needed to know what they knew, and had just the thing to make her talk. Trouble was, she was running out of time. She checked the small black case on the passenger seat - it was full of all kinds of mind altering drugs, something that Jim and herself had put together some days ago, in the event of any problems that might come their way. Good job, she thought, you just never know what can go wrong. Now she had to get to the airfield fast, before anyone had a chance to put some kind of a …what did the Americans call it?….oh yes, she thought amused, a SWAT team! How funny! Like swatting a fly! Well this fly is just a little more than an average annoyance in your ointment, she thought dryly. If she could get to the airfield before anyone else, she stood a good chance of getting the hell out of this rank country, away from these people who always thought they were bigger and better than anyone else in the whole damned world! Such arrogance, she seethed inwardly. Who the hell did they think came over here and built the country up in the first place anyway? Aliens? She smirked at her own wit, and drove on, looking for the airfield, which she reckoned was not far away now.

Kelly and Sabrina were nearing the street where Bosley was waiting for them. Sabrina could tell Kelly was becoming more and more agitated, she noticed her friends knuckles were white, as she clutched the steering wheel with some force.

"Kel, we're gonna get Kris back… she's gonna be okay, huh?" Sabrina looked concerned at Kelly, but could see that same schooled expression she had seen earlier in the day. How long ago was that, she wondered. It felt like a week ago, yet at the same time, only 5 minutes ago! She looked at the clock on the dash…oh boy, it was way after 8pm! No wonder it was getting dark! She drew her attention back to Kelly, who was concentrated on negotiating the thinning traffic. Sabrina could see the muscles working in Kelly's jaw, waited patiently for anything Kelly wanted to say. Kelly then answered Sabrina.

"If that woman touches Kris anymore, I swear I will take her out." Kelly said simply and matter-of-factly.

Sabrina knew the deep emotion Kelly was feeling right now, for Kris. Knew it and almost tasted it. She herself was close to boiling-point, after the needless violence that had occurred this day, and all in the name of greed and selfishness. She was worried out of her mind for Kris, but she also spared the time at this moment, to think of Jenny - she deserved this much - to think of the grief that her family would be going through shortly. Even though they really hardly knew her, she felt that they had all bonded with Jenny and a close friendship would likely have ensued between them all. Now all that was taken away from all of them in one sudden, selfish action. And now Kris was in the hands of a crazy, greedy, selfish woman who might also snatch Kris away from them in a like manner. She couldn't bear to lose Kris and neither could Kelly…and neither could her sister, Jill. They all meant the world to each other.

Sabrina looked out of her window at the buildings they were quickly passing by, and hoped they could get to the airfield in time to stop Jessica and get Kris. She looked back over to Kelly.

"Like I said, Kel, we're gonna get her back!" The conviction in Sabrina's voice gave Kelly some small comfort and she stepped on the gas as the traffic got thinner.


	7. Chapter 7

**Apologies to all for the delay and sorry for the short chapter... just struggling a bit at the moment, but will try harder to update soon, promise! Thank you all for reading and commenting, it means a great deal! :-)**

* * *

A small plane dropped low out of a pale blue sky, wheels down, and landed on the abandoned runway. It taxied along to the end and came to a halt where a brown car was parked. After a few minutes the pilot climbed out, with a briefcase in his hand. He looked over to the car, seemingly waiting for a signal from its occupant.

Kelly, Sabrina and Bosley watched from some foliage at the edge of the strip.

"I can't believe l don't have my binoculars in the trunk!" Kelly said as they all strained their eyes to see how Kris was.

"Kelly, it's okay…" Bosley said, trying to slowly move a branch from view. "…I don't think there's much we can do from here anyway." He sighed. Kelly looked at him, thinking through their options. He was probably right. She turned back to the see Jessica emerge from the car, then step to the back door of the car and drag Kris out by her hair. Kelly drew her breath in sharply, and heard Sabrina do the same.

Sabrina tensed, wanting to - needing to - run right over there that instant and give Jessica Rhys-Davies a piece of her fist. Kelly placed a hand on her arm and looked at Bri. "I know." She said softly. Sabrina looked on, noting that Jessica also had something held to Kris's throat… a knife obviously. "Dammit!" She cursed out loud and looked at Kelly then back at Bosley, whose frown was deep, and the worry clear in his gentle brown eyes.

Kelly saw the glint of the knife as Jessica made her way towards the plane, dragging a stumbling Kris with her.

She fought to keep her anger in check. Kris was in desperate need of help and there was very little they could do… the police helicopter had been kept at bay as they didn't want Jessica to feel threatened… they all realised how viciously dangerous she was. This was such a terrible nightmare! When was it going to end? Kelly watched, holding her breath as the pilot gave the briefcase to Jessica, who motioned for him to walk away. And he did. She felt sick to her stomach for Kris. She watched Jessica, laden with two cases and an armful of Kris, take all of her cargo up on board backwards, still managing to hold a knife to Kris. Kelly realised, with even more anger, that Kris was obviously in no condition to fight back. She felt hot tears of emotion prick at the corner of her eyes as she wondered if this was the last they would see of their dear friend…then she immediately pushed the thought away, and mentally shook herself. Don't even THINK that way, Kelly Garrett, she told herself harshly. Concentrate on a plan, dammit! Get control! She breathed in a deep breath then let it out slowly, and looked at Sabrina and Bosley with determination.

"We need a plane…NOW!"

Sabrina turned quizzically to Kelly. "But we don't even know where she's headed?"

"Mexico!" Kelly threw her palms outward, as if stating the obvious. Sabrina looked slightly hurt. "Alright, I get it, but WHERE?" She ran a hand through her hair and glanced around. "I mean, if I was gonna jump the country, sure I'd head South, but where would I land?"

Bosley moved away from the bushes and began to walk toward the car. "We can figure that out soon…I'm gonna call Charlie, and get us a plane here!" He hurried up to the car, got in and made the call. Then suddenly, the little Cessna's engines revved up, and the plane turned slowly on the tarmac, before quickly gathering speed on the runway.

Bosley got out of the car and looked over, shocked, even though he knew somehow the plane would leave.

"Kris!" Kelly breathed in disbelief, as she watched the plane's speed pick right up, then it lifted off into the air, leaving the girls and Bosley feeling so utterly useless and scared for their kidnapped friend. Kelly felt like punching something. Anything! She swirled around, her anger rising, feeling it bubble out of control.

"I can't just stand here, we've got to do something!" She snapped at Sabrina.

Sabrina stepped up to Kelly and took her by the shoulders, just as Bosley walked up to them.

"You okay honey?" He asked Kelly gently. He looked between them both, wondering if Kelly was going to lose her temper right there and then. He sure wouldn't blame her. But Sabrina held on to Kelly's shoulders and looked her right in the eyes. "I know, I know Kel, it's okay!" Sabrina said softly. "We are all going to get out of this mess, okay? We are going to get Kris back, right?" She said emphatically. She looked intently at Kelly, searching for some kind of expression of conviction on her friends face. Kelly gave a small smile, to let Bri know she was trying not to doubt her words, trying not to lose it completely. Bri felt a little of the tension drop in Kelly and she smiled back. Kelly looked at Bri. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry for being blunt before, Bri! I'm just so…" She held her hands up, the knots building upon knots in her churned up stomach, unable to describe her feelings to Bri. She didn't have to. Bri dropped her arms and smiled again at Kelly, a knowing, understanding smile that took Kelly down another notch. Kelly was so grateful to have Bri around right then. She sighed, then looked at Bosley. "Charlie's sending a plane over right now. Should be here in twenty minutes." He said, glumly.

"Boy, I wish it would rain, I could sure use a shower!" Sabrina as always, tried to lighten the mood a little. Kelly even gave a small laugh. They stood together, and waited patiently for another messenger from Charlie - albeit a mechanical one - to appear out of the skies.

There was a very strange vibration going on, Kris realised, as she came round for the third time, since passing out on the plane. She tried to figure it out and mentally check herself out before she opened her eyes. For a moment, nothing made any sense at all, she was totally disorientated. She opened her eyes, just as her memory kicked in, and understanding flooded over her like a waterfall. Oh no… it wasn't just a nightmare… she really was in trouble. She blinked and looked around the small interior of the plane and took everything in, remembering being dragged into the plane, remembering Jessica's threats if she didn't do as she was told, and remembering feeling anguish at the thought that something bad could have happened to Kelly or Sabrina. Still, she was feeling a little physically better than she had for a while now. Her head was clearing, although she was still in some pain, the intensity had dropped a little. Her arms were so stiff from being stuffed behind her back all the time - and now, she realised, she had her feet bound too. Well, she thought, trying to be positive, at least she was alive. For now. Kris looked towards the cockpit and saw Jessica, headset on, managing the planes controls, seemingly at ease. This was so not good. What had happened to Bri and Kelly, she wondered, worriedly. Had they tried to stop Jessica and got in the way? Kris felt despondent that she hadn't been in a fit state to fight back and try and get herself away from Jessica. Could she have tried harder? This was no good, she told herself. She had to think positive… she had to keep alert and look for opportunities to get out of this.

Just then, Jessica looked over her shoulder at Kris.

"Oh!" Jessica faced front again, but talked on, shouting over the planes engine noise. "How nice of you to join the flight!" Sarcasm was obviously one of Jessica's stronger qualities, Kris decided, not amused.

"So what's your name, pretty blonde thing?" Jessica shouted back over her shoulder.

Kris eyed her suspiciously.

"Why don't you make it up, like you have everything else?" She replied scathingly. Kris could use sarcasm too when required.

Jessica shrugged her shoulders. "Okay Blondie, have it your way!" It won't matter soon anyway!" She laughed a little, amused once more at her own little private joke.

The meaning wasn't wasted on Kris. She realised that she was only along for the ride, not the destinations vacational activities. She needed to figure a way out of this situation! If only she could at least work her hands free…she tried, but felt the rope so tight around her wrists, she doubted she could do anything to work it free. Still, she had nothing to gain by sitting idle. She had everything to lose. She began to work to free herself.

Then just as Kris began to get very frustrated with the rope, she heard the radio crackle, and a mans voice crackled in the cockpit. Kris looked up to see that Jessica had taken her headphones off, which meant she'd turned the radio to loudspeaker. She listened as the mans voice said Jessica's name and she suddenly recognised it as Bronwyn Rhys-Davies voice! How on earth had he tracked Jessica's plane down so quickly? She guessed Charlie…or maybe even Kelly or Sabrina had something to do with it. This thought cheered her a little.

Jessica sat up straighter in her chair and grabbed the microphone on the headset.

"What do you think you are doing?" She shouted angrily down the mike. The reply came back.

"Jessica Jessica! I've been out of my mind with worry darling! Where are you, what are you doing? Please come back! I…" Jessica cut him off abruptly.

"I don't care about your stupid American investments daddy! I don't want any part of it! Never have! I don't need you anymore either!"

"But darling Jessica, I love you! Why are you doing this? Please come back, let's talk about things…"

"NO! We've never talked, all my life! You don't love me, you just love your business! Always have! Business always came first! Now I'm putting ME first!"

"But Jessica please…!" But Jessica slammed the headphones down and switched off the radio. She sat fuming, checking the planes controls, and Kris could almost feel the hate coming off her. Boy, that was a revelation! She really hates her father that much! Kris thought this over. No wonder she was a short step from being completely psycho! Lack of parental love is a strong motivator…for anything. Kris decided to try another tactic.

"Jessica… I'm sorry you feel your father…" Kris didn't get far, as Jessica quickly interrupted her.

"Oh please!" She spat out at Kris. "Don't bother! Don't you understand?" She shouted, not just because of the engine noise. "I really DON'T CARE!" She finished, the hatred and loathing she felt for her father all to evident now. She took a deep breath and spoke again, in a lowered tone.

"You'll keep quiet if you know what's good for you, Blondie!"

Kris resigned herself to the fact that Jessica was just not going to listen to reason. She was going to have to somehow tackle Jessica the old fashioned way. She went back to work surreptitiously on the ropes.

Some time later - Kris wasn't sure how long, she'd unwittingly passed out again, giving her cause for more alarm - she heard Jessica speak into the microphone.

"Mexico International - this is Victor Lima five nine two Alpha requesting permission to land, over…"

Jessica paused as she listened to the response.

"What?…Sorry, please repeat, over?" Kris detected more anger in Jessica's voice.

"But I must have permission to land now, tower! I am low on fuel, over!"

Another pause, then,

"But I've never heard of such a regulation…..since when, over? …..I'm sorry tower, I cannot circle for thirty minutes, I must land now! Over!"

Then Jessica blurted out in a rage, "New regulations? Twelve hours prior notice to land an external flight? What absolute rubbish!" She seethed at no-one in particular.

Then she looked over her shoulder at Kris. "I bet your damned police has something to do with this!" She fumed at Kris. Kris stared icily back. She smiled inwardly though. She wondered if Charlie himself had anything to do with it? Did his connections spread this far? Probably!

Jessica turned back to the radio. "This is Victor Lima five nine two Alpha - I only have ten minutes fly time left, tower…" a lie, but didn't matter "I MUST have permission to land, over!" The response Jessica was hoping for didn't come, Kris assumed, when Jessica slammed her fist against the cockpit window.

"What do they want me to do…crash?" She shouted, again at no-one particularly.

"Are we really that low on fuel?" Kris asked, feeling more than anxious.

"Mind your own damned business and shut up!" Jessica replied hotly, not in the slightest bit interested in Kris now.

Kris rolled her eyes and leant back in her seat. She'd had just about enough of this woman telling her what to do. And she was tired of being her hostage. Dammit she was tired anyway, exhausted, in pain, and getting more and more anxious by the minute, even though she was trying to keep calm. Her head still hurt, and the blackouts were not a good sign. She needed to get treatment, she realised, and soon. She thought of Jill, somewhere in Spain, having such a great time with her own career. She wished with all her heart Jill was with her now. Not that she wanted Jill to be held hostage too… just that she needed her sister badly right now. She needed Kelly and Bri too. Oh Kris, come on! She chided herself. Keep positive! Gotta be ready for a break! Oh boy, do I need a break, she thought, wistfully. Kris realised she'd tuned out to Jessica's rants…she sighed and sat back up, trying to figure out what was going on up front. She looked out of the window to see if they were nearer the ground, but she couldn't see anything but sky and a little bit of land bobbing up now and then at the bottom of the window.

Jessica turned slightly in her seat and Kris looked up. Jessica had her gun on her. Kris froze and her heart seemed to skip a beat.

"Well Blondie, we're officially in Mexico now, so I just don't think I need you any more!"

"Are you crazy?" Kris replied, so badly frightened now. "You can't shoot a gun in here, anything could happen!" She tried again to reason with her uncaring captor.

Jessica smiled. "Oh don't worry, once one of these little babies" she wiggled her gun for emphasis "has ripped through you, it'll just stop at the metal at the back of your seat, darling!" Her grin spread even further at the thought of putting little Blondie out of her misery.

Then the radio crackled once more and Jessica, thrown, turned her attention back to it, . She listened in, her face registering some good news. She smiled and responded.

"This is Victor Lima five nine two Alpha - fifteen minutes, copy that, tower - appreciate the help, over and out."

Jessica was feeling a little better now, she had been given clearance to land in fifteen. Acceptable. She suddenly decided to prolong the blondes agony. She glanced back over her shoulder.

"Fifteen minutes until we land…hmmm…" Jessica smiled again . "Have you ever played 'I spy' ?"

Kris, feeling nauseous once more, couldn't decide if she was serious or not….


	8. Chapter 8

Jessica brought the little plane lower over the airfield. The light was fading now…the sky was a subdued mix of pink, blue and grey. She thought she saw a star peep out too. She sighed with frustration for the third time in five long minutes.

The radio came to life once more, interrupting her broodings.

" Victor Lima five nine two Alpha, you are now cleared to land, but please be advised, there is a small plane wreck to the side of the runway… all wreckage has now been cleared from the runway but proceed with caution - you will be directed on touchdown, over."

She listened and frowned. About bloody time, but what plane? She was the only one waiting on this runway at present. She shrugged mentally. Time to land!

"Thank you tower! This is Victor Lima five nine two Alpha coming in to land…out."

Kris watched worriedly as the ground came nearer. As they approached the runway, she saw a plane off the edge of the runway, with vehicles and people gathered around it. She looked closer as they descended onto the runway, and realised that the people were officials, air accident investigators no doubt. She wondered what had happened, because there seemed to be nothing wrong with the plane itself. Then she saw parts of some mangled landing gear off to one side. She hoped the pilot was ok. It wasn't their day either, she thought, tiredly.

The plane touched down and came to a stop not far from the wreckage, then a man began to walk away from the group of people, over toward the Cessna.

Jessica looked over her shoulder at Kris. She didn't say anything, however, and this made Kris frown. She decided to try to reason with Jessica once more.

"You know, if you kill me now, you'll have the Mexican police to deal with."

Jessica eyed Kris, her expression cold.

Kris looked back at her, feeling terribly uncomfortable under Jessica's cold stare, but decided to press on.

"They have no jurisdiction over the murder you committed… why make it worse for yourself?"

Jessica smirked. "Yes, you're right, of course! But who's going to _prove_ I killed you?" She emphasised the word 'prove', and Kris felt yet another chill run through her.

"You know my father is just far too trusting!" Jessica spoke again as if to Kris, but the more Kris heard Jessica, the more she thought she just liked the sound of her own voice and loved to voice her accomplishments to no-one in particular. Another piece of evidence that something was disturbingly lacking in Jessica Rhys-Davies' little world.

"When I get out of here, Chemsoft is going to be mine…in the end." Jessica looked out across the airfield, in thought. "All I have to do is lie low for a while, get a new identity then walk back into Chemsoft and take it and break it!" She curled her lip as she thought about her fathers soft dealings with the American company. "There'll be nothing left of Chemsoft when I'm through with it!" She sneered to herself, then blinked and brought her mind back to the present. Kris had been watching her and watched her now lift a black case up and pat it.

"In here Blondie, is a rather lovely selection of chemicals…I really wouldn't like to literally get your blood on my hands, darling!" She undid the case, and held up the contents for Kris to view. Kris looked at the case and saw rows of vials containing various liquids. For all she knew, they could all contain cyanide - it was just up Jessica's street. What was she doing with a case of drugs anyway, she wondered. But then she was involved at Chemsoft…maybe she and …what was his name? Ah Jim… had cooked up all of this right from the start…in more ways than one. Kris looked back at Jessica, trying to figure out, for the umpteenth time, just how she was going to get herself out of this. Jessica clearly intended to kill her but Kris wasn't going to let Jessica play it all her own way. Jessica seemed to read Kris's mind, as she stated her next fact.

"These little beauties, for example," she told Kris, as she fingered a set of vials, "mimics the symptoms of natural causes of death, like a stroke, or heart attack," She smiled malevolently. "but leave no trace whatsoever in the bloodstream! Quite ingenious, don't you think?" Jessica seemed to marvel at the liquids, fingering each one, like a kid in a sweet shop, Kris thought, sickened. Jessica seemed to catch some movement out of the corner of her eye and looked forward again, towards the tarmac. "Oh we have company!" She exclaimed, almost sweetly.

A member of the ground crew had approached the Cessna and was talking over a radio, as he approached. He also held directional paddles in his other hand, ready to motion the plane to a more convenient spot. Jessica eyed the man suspiciously and waited for him to direct her. After a minute or so, the man seemed to have finished talking, then lifted his paddles and waved them over towards a small terminal. Jessica revved the idling engine then complied, and taxied the small plane away, as requested. She was really unsure why all this was necessary, but then if there had a been an accident, she decided, it was probably in her best interest to err on the side of caution, and do as requested. She brought the plane to a halt and shut off the engine. Now, time for Blondie to 'check out', she thought to herself, cheerily. She unbuckled her safety belt, picked up the small case and stepped over toward Kris.

Kris watched her every move. Her heart was hammering so fast she thought it would explode anyway, without this crazy bitch needing to lift a finger! She was trapped, she was helpless! The ropes had proved completely unworkable and everything she had tried had come to nothing! Was this how it would end for her as well as poor Jenny? Kris fleetingly had pictures in her mind of Jennifer lying in a pool of her own blood, so many, many miles from home, lost to her family by such a shocking violent end. And now Kris herself was alone with this murdering heartless crazy woman - no-one to help her - no Kelly or Sabrina to be there for her. Not even Jill - her dear sister who had gotten out of this dangerous game and was thousands of miles away herself. Hell, she may as well be on the other side of the universe! Kris felt suddenly more scared and alone than she could ever remember. She looked up at her approaching killer - the person whom they were supposed to be rescuing in the beginning Kris thought ironically - as she stepped up to Kris then knelt down and opened the case once more, selecting a particular vial. She then took a syringe and filled it full with the harmful liquid. "This one I think you'll get a kick out of, Blondie!" Jessica said as she began to roll up the right sleeve of Kris's arm. Kris bucked and struggled against her but Jessica just snorted in derision and slapped Kris hard across the face.

"Oh don't bother, sweetie, it'll soon be over!" As Kris recovered from the assault, Jessica continued to roll up her sleeve, aimed the syringe towards her bare arm and then spitefully intoned to Kris the fatal effects of the drug as she held Kris down. "First of all you'll feel nauseous and dizzy, then you'll feel extreme and utterly overwhelming paranoia - I especially like that bit - and then finally, if you've not killed yourself already…" Jessica tutted in a fake sympathetic manner "… your heart will simply give out!" Kris felt like screaming, but instead, she suddenly head butted Jessica with all her might. And just as she did so, there was a loud bang. That's it, Kris thought, faintly…my head has finally exploded… she slumped back in the seat, her head lolling to one side. She was vaguely aware of someone entering the plane then, somewhat aware of noise and commotion, and she ordered her brain to make her eyes open, even though her head hurt so much. What she saw out of her barely squinting, blurry eyes made her almost sob with relief.

Kelly entered the plane first, after they had blown the hatch mechanism. Sabrina was right behind her, eyes darting everywhere, gun ready, taking in everything at once. Kelly's eyes were immediately on Kris but her gun was on Jessica, who was groaning, just trying to get up off the floor.

"MOVE and you'll be part of the cockpit!" Sabrina shouted harshly at Jessica, covering her as Kelly went straight to Kris.

"Oh my god, Kris!" Kelly exclaimed, as she knelt before her friend and took in her appearance.

Are you OK? Are you hurt anywhere?" Kris could hear the pained worry in Kelly's voice and tried to focus on her friend but couldn't keep her head up straight. She rested her head back down to her shoulder and decided that was enough for now, but she managed a small grin for her rescuer.

"I'm OK Kel…just got a doozie of a headache…"Then she remembered… "Kelly, oh Kelly she's…." Kris mumbled. Kelly was already cutting through the ropes that had cruelly cut into Kris's skin. "Shhhh, it's OK Kris, it's OK, it's all over now, we've got you!" She cupped Kris's face in her hands and made Kris look at her so that she could understand she was safe now. "We've got you!" Kelly repeated to her, in a whisper, then hugged her close. She was just so hugely relieved at finding Kris alive, all she wanted to do was get her out of this awful situation and back home. But Kris needed to tell them something. And she was fighting another blackout. And Kelly didn't understand.

Sabrina stood over Jessica, but needed desperately to know how Kris was.

"Kelly?" She tersely called over her shoulder. She didn't need to ask the obvious.

"It's OK Bri, I think Kris is going to be alright!" Kelly's reply and her tone of voice settled Bri somewhat but her nerves were still jangling. Jessica was apparently having trouble standing up. Sabrina watched her coldly, not caring at all for her discomfort, whatever had caused it.

"So, toots, how does it feel to be on the losing side, huh?" Bri said, scornfully, keeping all her attention fixed on Jessica. She hoped Kris was going to be ok - Kelly was looking after her, but she badly needed to be at Kris's side. As soon as Bosley appeared, she would then leave Jessica in his capable hands and join Kelly to help Kris.

Jessica looked up at Sabrina, her eyes glinting. She wasn't done yet…she could handle these two! She just needed a diversion… she kept the syringe out of sight, up her sleeve. Blondie…the other woman had called her Kris…but she looked like a dumb blonde to Jessica, so Blondie … was out of it. One of them was too wrapped up in her friend, so really, she just had to tackle the skinny one. Piece of cake!

Sabrina watched Jessica try again to stand up.

"I said DON'T MOVE! I'm not fooling around with you, got it?" Sabrina again yelled at Jessica to make her point, but Jessica seemed to get up then lose her balance and stagger, eyes closed, towards Sabrina. As Kelly turned to help out, Sabrina shot at Jessica but aimed to impede, not kill. Jessica lurched sideways from the impact then fell over-dramatically onto Sabrina, and stabbed her with the syringe, before Sabrina could react. Then to Sabrina and Kelly's surprise, she lunged toward the open hatch and lurched out awkwardly, down onto the tarmac… straight into the path of Bosley. He looked down. "Going somewhere, Jessica?" he drew out his gun and shook his head at her.

Sabrina had been caught off-guard. She cursed herself out loud, and looked for the stab wound and blood, where she had felt the pain, but saw nothing.

"Bri!" Kelly got up and went to Sabrina. "What happened? Are you OK?" She looked over her friend, for any signs of injury, then looked out of the hatch and was relieved yet again to see Bosley taking care of Jessica. She came back to Sabrina.

"I don't know! I shot her but she fell on me…then I thought she stabbed me!" Sabrina was bewildered.

"But there's no blood or anything! And I feel ok!" She threw her arms open and shrugged her shoulders, then sighed. "Oh come on guys, let's just get out of here!" She then stepped across to Kris. "Oh Kris sweetheart, how are you feeling, are you ok?" She knelt down to look over Kris and realised just how much she had missed her and just how important Kris was to her. She gave Kris a warm hug then drew back and looked at her, so thankful she was alive and relatively ok. "We need to get you to a hospital Kris. You don't look so good, huh?" She brushed Kris's damp hair from her eyes and Kris opened her eyes and looked at Bri. She was still dazed and had not really heard Bri's explanation to Kelly. "I'll be ok, I just need some fresh air!" She smiled weakly. "Here, help me up would ya?"

Both Kelly and Bri gently lifted Kris up and held her while she got her balance, and the feeling came back into her legs. Kris then looked around. "Where is she?"

"_She…_" Kelly said "…isn't going anywhere!" They helped Kris to the hatch and they all peered outside, and saw Jessica cuffed and kneeling on the ground, with several police officers standing waiting, while Bosley gave information to another officer. An ambulance siren could also be heard wailing nearby.

Bosley looked up as Bri and Kelly jumped down from the hatch then helped Kris down. He excused himself from the officer and walked over to Kris, beaming broadly. He then gave her a very big hug. "You gave us all a very big scare Kris! Let's get you home!"

Kris nodded. She was more than ready to be home! All the explanations could wait until tomorrow - she really wanted to know what had happened to Kelly and Bri and how on earth they had all come to her rescue, but she was just so exhausted, she could sleep for a week! Kelly slipped her arm round Kris's middle for support and re-assurance, and they set off towards a car and a chauffeur waiting at the airport building. But Sabrina hung back a few yards. Kris noticed her absence even though she was weak, and turned around.

"What's up Bri?"

Sabrina swiped at her brow. "Uh, I just feel little nauseous is all… probably from all that smoke earlier!" She faltered in her steps.

"What smoke?" Kris said, now alarmed and feeling a bit more with it. The group had stopped, and stepped back towards Sabrina. "Oh we'll explain later, go one, I'll catch up." Bri shooed her hands at everyone and stopped to catch her breath. She did feel a little dizzy and weird. But not surprising with all of the days events.

Kelly and Kris walked back to their friend. "Hey Bri, it's ok, it's been quite a day, huh?" Kelly said, looking Bri over. "Tell you what, we'll get tucked in at a hotel and dinners on Charlie!"

Everyone smiled at that, even Bosley. Sabrina nodded, but was feeling worse with each passing moment. She also didn't want her friends to see she perhaps wasn't coping. She lifted her head up and tried a smile. "Sure!"

"Tell you what, ladies, I'll go fetch the car while you wait here. I'll be right back!"

The angels all thanked Bosley and he smiled and walked away briskly towards the airport, hoping all the angels would be ok.

Kris turned to Sabrina in the dim light of the evening. "So WHAT smoke, Bri? What happened to you guys?"

Kelly cleared her throat and began to try and explain to Kris some of the events from before, but Bri cut her off. "No Kelly! I don't wanna talk about this anymore!" She rubbed a hand across her eyes. "Can't we just leave all this alone now? Haven't we had enough already?"

Kelly and Kris both stood shocked at this little outburst from Sabrina. Kelly wasn't used to this from Bri - she was normally so level headed. Something didn't seem right. Kris also looked at Bri, wondering what was going on.

"Uh, ok Bri, I'm sorry…" Kelly began and Kris put a hand on Bri's arm, "I guess Kelly's right Bri, it's been a hard day for all of us." She looked at Sabrina, trying to understand what had made her friend snap at Kelly like that. Like Kelly, she depended on Bri for her cool head.

A strained silence now fell upon the three angels, and for the very first time in their lives, there was an uncomfortable air between them. Sabrina shuffled backwards a few steps, her demeanour uncharacteristically…not Sabrina. Kris and Kelly exchanged worried glances.

"I don't feel so good… I'm sorry…" she muttered and looked back towards the police - and the police cars. "I feel sick…actually!" She looked back up at Kris and Kelly. Then back towards the cars. She decided they weren't that far away from them. She could easily outrun Kris and Kelly would not leave Kris.

Kelly tried once more to placate Sabrina. "It's ok Bri, Boz will be back here any second with the car, and we'll get a hotel and…"

"I don't WANT to go in the damned car, I don't trust you!" She shouted suddenly. She looked at her friends in shock. Why had she just said that? What was _wrong_ with her? She also saw the massive shock on Kris and Kelly's faces and felt a deep pain course through her body. How could she _ever _say such a thing to her dearest friends? Sabrina couldn't take any more. She turned and fled away into the dusk.

Realisation then hit Kris like a locomotive. "Oh my god!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi, thanks so much for all your really good n helpful reviews so far - I am trying to work on points covered! This chapters a little short, sorry - I am trying to post more regularly so chapters will inevitably be a little shorter! Again thanks for reviews, and kind comments - they are very helpful and keep me going! :-)**

* * *

Kris lurched after Sabrina but Kelly caught her arm. "Hey Kris, stop… you're not going anywhere!" She gently pulled a determined Kris backwards.

"No Kel, you don' understand, Bri's been drugged, I know it!" She tried to break out of Kelly's grasp. "We've got to get after her right now, she's in big trouble!"

Kelly shook her head, "No Kris, leave it to me - you stay with Bosley, you're not fit to go anywhere - I mean it!" She took Kris firmly by the shoulders and again gently forced her back. "I mean it Kris," Kelly said in a low but very clear and forceful voice, "Leave this to me - stay with Bosley and go to the hospital!"

With that, she turned and ran after Sabrina, who had reached the group of police officers. Kelly ran fast, but Sabrina was faster. Kelly could hear Kris calling out behind her, but knew she had remained behind, judging by the distance of her voice. She glanced briefly over her shoulder to confirm this. As she ran on, Kelly tried to understand what Kris had meant about a drug. They must have missed something back on the plane. Sloppy. If Bri was drugged… then things were going to get worse. She wished she knew just how much worse... Kris was clearly upset for a reason… She saw Sabrina move around the periphery of the group and towards two police cars. Dammit, she was not going to steal a police car surely? Kelly needed to raise the alarm. She began to shout as she ran. But Sabrina was very quick - by the time the officers saw Kelly running up to them, it was too late for them to realise what Kelly was shouting at and just what Sabrina was up to. Sabrina had jumped in the nearest car and was gunning the engine, as a few officers made for the car, shouting also. Kelly ran towards the other vacant car, just as another officer ran up to it.

"Hey wait!" Kelly ran up to the passenger side. "Please - I need to come with you - that's my friend that's stealing your car!"

The Mexican officer looked doubtful, then waived her onboard. "Come on then lady, your friend has got explaining to do!" He said gruffly as they both jumped in together.

Sabrina was not hanging around. She reversed right away from the pursuing officers, then swung away in the direction of the buildings. She floored the accelerator, grateful to have a fast car, but not having a clue how to get out of the place. It was almost dark now, and the cars headlights were not picking out anything useful. She had to avoid the terminal area - didn't fancy getting squashed by a Boeing. She cursed herself, but picked up speed. There must be a way off this airfield somewhere, she thought. What about airport vehicles? They had to come from somewhere. She reasoned. She realised she was approaching some hangers - no good. She slowed a little, hearing sirens blaring somewhere behind her. The other car. She was feeling trapped and she had to get out. She sped past the hangers and the car jolted as it left the tarmac and ploughed over the grass. This wasn't a good plan, she thought, dazedly.

"Just what is your friend thinking about?" The officer glanced at Kelly as he handled the car. "He is going to be in very big trouble!" He swerved to follow the car in front.

As she watched the tail lights up ahead, Kelly grimaced. "She - my friend, Sabrina - she's sick. Jessica - the woman you just arrested - we think she drugged my friend." Kelly turned to the officer. "I'm really sorry about this sir - but please, I don't want my friend hurt," She turned to look out front then back at the officer. "You understand?" The officers face appeared to remain impassionate. "Please?" The car bumped along as they sped over grass. Kelly was well aware of the tougher way the Mexican police operated in general and she knew that, in comparison to Mexico, the U.S. uniformed police were tame.

"If your friend wants to live, Miss, she would do good to stop the car and give herself up!" The officer sighed. He cursed as the car bumped over rougher ground and he could tell that this crazy woman was heading for the end of the airfield, which was enclosed with a heavy chain-link, security wired fence. Kelly sighed also and fell silent. She felt more and more anxious at every passing moment. Where did Sabrina think she was going anyway? Why? What the hell did she mean when she said she didn't trust them? This had really stung Kelly, and no doubt, Kris. But then it must have been the drug affecting her that way… whatever it was. As soon as Kris had mentioned a drug, Kelly realised that Jessica must have managed to inject Sabrina during their struggle, after Bri shot her. Why the hell did they not do a thorough check of everything as they normally did? They were just so relieved about Kris, that's why. Very sloppy, Kelly. Very sloppy. And this sloppiness had now put Sabrina's life in danger.

Kelly was then jolted out of her thoughts by the situation at hand. Sabrina had just broken through the perimeter fence, showering sparks of charged electricity around in the darkness.

"Ok, so your friend is not a quitter!" The officer snarled as he drove the car at the gap where Sabrina had disappeared. Kelly could hear horns blaring and the squeal of tyres. Bri had just drove straight out onto a road.

Kelly could only hold on tight as their car also swung out dangerously into the highway traffic and followed Sabrina.

"Bosley, we're _not _going to the hospital!" Kris stood, hands on her hips, looking Bosley in the eye. Bosley had returned with the car and discovered something else had yet again gone wrong…even in such a short absence. He had thanked the chauffeur for his services but dismissed him at the airport as he had felt all the girls would need to completely relax and didn't need the extra person on board, trying to make small talk or just making them feel uncomfortable. Now he wished he hadn't, because he could have arranged for Kris to get to hospital while he himself either chased after Kelly or, failing that, more sensibly, waited with the police for any news.

"Kris, you _know _Kelly would Kill me if I didn't look after you and see you get proper medical attention. Now I'm not…"

"That's right Bos, you're NOT going to do that right now because Sabrina needs us!" She stared at Bosley.

"And besides," She said, as she got into the passenger seat of the car "if you don't get after that police car right now, I will eat you for breakfast tomorrow... you know i will..." She smiled half-heartedly as Bosley got into the drivers side and looked over at her, clearly not amused. He started the engine and squinted into the dark. He and Kris had both been following the second police cars flashing lights into the distance with their eyes, as they had stood arguing. And more police were on their way, by the sounds of things.

"Bosley, STEP on it!" Kris commanded, anxiously, trying to galvanise Bosley into action. She actually couldn't believe how much her head had cleared in the relatively short time since Kelly and Bri had boarded the plane. Kris knew Bosley knew that she did indeed need medical attention, but it was going to have to wait. Bosley sighed then drove off and picked up speed to try and catch up with the lights at the end of the airfield. He felt instinctively in the wrong for taking Kris with him, yet Kris did seem to have perked up a little, although her face was still a ghostly white in the interior light of the car a minute ago. He just hoped Kris knew what she was doing. He knew Kelly knew what she was doing, but had no idea what the heck Sabrina was doing. It wasn't supposed to be going like this, he grimaced to himself, as he sped on down the side of the runway.

Sabrina checked her rear mirror yet again. She could hear the siren wailing ever closer, and caught glimpses of the flashing lights regularly, as the car chased her. She had decided to turn off the main highway and try to lose her oppressor on the smaller roads but they were obviously used to the local roads - she was not. Her grip tightened on the steering wheel in her extreme agitation. She wished she hadn't stole the police car now, it was a stupid mistake. Stupid, stupid. She cursed her illogical actions. Why was she behaving like this? She ground her teeth and concentrated on the road, trying to keep tears of frustration from falling.

"Need to think, need to think, need to think…" She repeated to herself, her dark hair falling across her sweating forehead and sticking there. She swiped at the errant strands. What did Kelly and Kris want with her anyway? Why did they insist she go back with them? She didn't have anything, any information to give them. Wait... her panicky mind interrupted a vague trail of sense. Was that it? Did they think she was withholding information? Her feverish mind worked its way through irrational questions, wound its way down illogical pathways to come out at incomprehensible conclusions. Of course, they thought she was a spy, working for Chemsoft! They thought she had been partnering Jessica Rhys-Davies, to make money out of the US Government! She frowned deeply. How badly did they want their information? Would they hurt her? Would they kill her? She didn't want to end up dead like poor Jenny Caine.

She checked the mirror again and realised with shock that the police vehicle was almost right behind her. Again she cursed her actions. She had been too busy thinking and had lost focus, slowing down. Again she floored the accelerator. She wasn't going to let Kelly or Kris catch her. Somehow she knew Kelly was in the car behind her. She felt a kind of sixth sense pricking, snapping almost, at the nape of the rest of her senses. Something else also bothered Sabrina. Kris. Something to do with Kris… the hint of the fleeting thought vanished like a whisper of mist as soon as it had appeared. Kris and Kelly were going to take her out, her unbalanced mind made the final assertion. There was no room for argument here. Sabrina clenched her teeth and sped on, screeching round the next bend, leaving scorched tyre marks that would be plainly visible the next morning.

"What if we try to get Sabrina on your radio?" Kelly asked her driver. He didn't answer for a couple of seconds. He had thought of this but wondered if it would make the situation worse. He voiced his thoughts to the woman in the passenger seat.

"Okay…maybe you're right, Officer…" She looked at him. "Sorry, I can't see your badge…?" she let her sentence hang.

"Policia Jaimes, and I am pleased to meet…?" Kelly noted a slight touch of sarcasm in his voice but she provided the details politely. "My name's Kelly Garrett and I work for a private investigative company in L.A."

Officer Jaimes made a small noise in his throat and Kelly guessed that this was not impressive information in his book. She pressed on.

"Look, my friend - Sabrina - like I said, she's sick - if I could just talk to her…?" She winced as the car rolled her abruptly into the door, as the officer took another tight bend at speed.

"Look, your friend is causing me a problem now - and herself a very big problem in the very near future - if you can talk her down then do it!" Officer Jaimes said through gritted teeth. "Go ahead… hit number two on the front set and press the button on the side."

Kelly snatched up the receiver and did as advised.

"Sabrina, this is Kelly…Bri, please… talk to me, over!" Kelly waited. Nothing. She tried again.

"Please Bri, we just want to help you, okay? Listen, you're not well… Jessica hit you with a needle after you shot her… do you understand?" Kelly winced again as their car twisted and snaked around the bends in the road, pitching her around in her seat.

"You best put on your seatbelt Miss Garrett!" Jaimes warned, belatedly. "These roads are not good for car chases, you know?"

Kelly grimaced then tried once more to reach Sabrina.

"Listen to me Sabrina, listen to my voice - it's Kelly - I'm your friend - Kris is your friend - we just want to help you Bri…oh please! Talk to me!" Kelly then chided herself for getting over emotional. She checked herself, waited a few moments then when no response came, replaced the receiver and put on her seatbelt. She felt suddenly helpless, even with a police officer beside her.

Jaimes glanced quickly in her direction before concentrating on the road in front. "I hope also that this ends well for you and your friend, Miss Garrett."

Kelly looked back at him, thankful. Then Jaimes braked hard and the car screeched to a jarring halt. Kelly fell hard against the seatbelt and gasped, and was eternally grateful for Jaimes' timely warning.

"Maldito!" Jaimes cursed. Kelly looked up to see a set of headlights glaring back at them, unmoving, some several metres away.

"Now what is your friend doing?" Jaimes asked, almost to himself. "She is crazy, I know, but she is on the wrong side of the road!"

Kelly unbuckled her seatbelt and hurriedly got out of the car. Jaimes waited, unsure of the situation, feeling down for his gun at his side and readied himself for more trouble. Kelly began to walk unhurriedly towards Sabrina's car. There was no detectable movement. Kelly was almost blinded by Sabrina's headlights. She put her arm up to shield her eyes, and, as she did so, Sabrina's car slowly reversed in a small arc then moved forward to face the side of the road where she had just been parallel to.

The next thing Kelly knew, Jaimes had jumped from his vehicle and was running towards her, shouting agitatedly in Spanish. But she didn't understand. All she knew was that Sabrina was sick, in trouble and she needed to help her - right now. Kelly sprinted towards the police car that Sabrina had commandeered, but as she neared the vehicle, it began to roll in the direction it was pointed. Kelly saw as she ran, and suddenly and sickeningly understood. Jaimes shot at the front tires but it was no use - the momentum carried the car over the edge of the ravine.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry for the long delay in updating, thank you for reading and hoped you liked this fic. I enjoyed writing it, although it has been a bit of a drawn out thing! But maybe I will write more! Thanks again for all your encouraging comments and critiques! Especially Agnes on the ! ;-)**

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Kelly stopped in her tracks yards from where the car had left the road. Her hand flew to her open mouth in utter disbelief as she stood rooted to the spot in shock, listening to the gut-wrenching sounds of the vehicle crashing down the side of the ravine, knowing Sabrina was inside. Her heart pounded and her brain refused to take in what her eyes had just witnessed, yet she began to walk again, then jog, up to the edge of the road. Oh please no, no, no no…the word tumbled over and over again through her crashing thoughts. The officer was at her side within moments, trying to peer into the dark after the car. He cursed softly then looked at Kelly.

"I will get help!" He ran back to his own car, but Kelly hardly noticed his presence. She felt like she was in a trance, as she also looked down into the darkness. A heavy odour of gasoline came wafting up on the cooling evening air and Kelly suddenly was galvanised into action. She gingerly stepped right up to the edge and looked down and saw that the cars headlights were still lit.

"Sabrina!" Kelly screamed down, hearing the lack of control in her voice, hoping against hope that her friend could at least hear her, know that someone was there, ready to help. The only sound coming from below was a soft hissing, metal jarring against metal, and the tick-tick-tick of a cooling engine. Nothing else. Kelly looked back at the officer talking on his radio and decided Sabrina couldn't wait for emergency help. If Sabrina was alive down there - Kelly now desperately needed to hold on to that hope - she didn't have much time. She carefully began to descend down the side of the hill, grateful for a little light from the dull beam of the headlights below. As she picked and stumbled her way down, around bushes and small rocks and jutting ground, she could hear Officer Jaimes now calling out to her agitatedly. He had brought a torch back and was shining the powerful beam down to help light her way.

Kelly couldn't clearly hear what the officer was shouting, over the noise of her unsteady feet slipping and sliding down stones and gravel, and her loud ragged breathing coming in gulps as she fought to keep her tears back. Whatever it was he was yelling, she probably knew anyway. Kelly took a quick glance down at the car and was relieved to find she was near the bottom. She hurried her pace, almost reeling off-balance as her momentum caused her to almost run downhill. Yet she managed to steady herself and negotiate her way successfully to the bottom, now only just a few metres away from Sabrina. The smell of gas was even stronger and Kelly felt the knot of fear in her stomach tighten almost unbearably. She hurried over to the battered upturned car, and grimly bent down to the drivers side window, dreading what she might see next. Her dread turned to more shock as she realised the front was empty. She shifted position and looked further into the back, thinking perhaps she'd missed her in the darkness, mindful of the fumes and wondering at such fortune that the car hadn't already blown sky high. But dark as it was, she could tell there was nobody in the car. What the hell…? Oh Bri please be alright…where are you? Kelly let out a small cry of pent up emotion and stood up, ready to begin searching the area.

"Kelly!"

Kelly started, then breathed easier when she looked up in the direction of the voice she recognised, and saw a shape and a bouncing torch-beam begin making their way down the hill that she had just tracked down.

"Kris!" Kelly was at once both thankful…and annoyed. Kris should be at the hospital! And this unending nightmare was getting worse every minute. "What are you doing?" She called up.

"Stay there!" She commanded.

Kris didn't answer, likely she didn't hear, or needing all her focus on the rough ground underneath her feet. Kelly sighed as she realised Kris was intent on joining her. She again spoke up.

"I can't find Sabrina - she's not in the car!" Kelly shouted louder this time. She watched Kris slipping unsteadily here and there, anxious that she should not even be here, wanting to go help Kris down, but needing to look for Sabrina. She decided Kris had managed to make it almost to the bottom on her own and turned her attention back to locating Sabrina. The night air was beginning to cool rapidly, she noticed. She had no idea of the time, not that it mattered. She stepped around the front of the car, using the headlights to scan for any sign of their friend, then stepped back up to examine things more closely. There was a small patch of trees behind the car… was it possible that Bri had survived the crash and managed to get out, but become disorientated, losing herself in there? The windscreen was cracked in places, but still intact. In fact, only one of the rear windows had shattered and blown out. Good job she was in a patrol car, she thought. She bit her lip and looked up to see Kris now making her way across to her.

"Kris, what are you doing? Why aren't you…" Kelly began in a scolding tone, but Kris cut her off.

"I know, I know - but I couldn't leave you to go after Bri on your own!" Kris shone the torch up near Kelly's face, enough to see how Kelly was fairing. Not good.

"Bosley's trying to contact Charlie, he said he was following me down in a minute…" Kris then shone the torch over the wreck of the police vehicle. "Oh my god, Kelly?"

Kelly looked at Kris for a moment and could see the shock written over her face, even in the dim light that they shared.

"Oh Kris…" Kelly gestured hopelessly at the car wreck. "She was in the car, but I can't find her! She's got to be here somewhere!"

"I know Kel," Kris felt her own fear churning it's way up from her stomach. She was acknowledging Kelly's extreme anxiety as well as the thought on Sabrina's whereabouts.

"But what if she bailed out before the car came over the top?"

Kelly looked directly at Kris. "I saw her Kris, I watched her go over." With that, Kelly's shoulders slumped and she held her hand out for the torch. Kris handed it over then watched Kelly make her way around the car and over to the trees, all the while sweeping the torch beam everywhere, looking and searching for the least little thing that might make their friend suddenly appear. Kris felt the lump in her throat threaten to break. She hurried after Kelly, mindful of the tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. Since arriving on the scene with Bosley and finding out what Sabrina had done, Kris had kicked into autopilot, ignored Bosley's entreaties, and followed Kelly down here, despite all the nagging pain in her head. Now that she saw the car for herself and had seen the stark fear in Kelly's eyes, her own dam was beginning to crack. She'd been keeping everything in check ever since she'd first been kidnapped, taken the beatings from Jessica, holding on to the thought that Kelly and Sabrina were out there looking for her, trying to get to her. And they had. Again, her friends had come through for her. Just as they always did. But now, because of one crazy Jessica Rhys-Davies, Sabrina could be … Kris couldn't even think the word. She swallowed hard and caught up with Kelly.

"Kel, maybe we ought to…"

A familiar but weak voice cut across Kris and Kelly's thoughts. "Maybe you oughta what…?"

Kelly and Kris both whirled as one, Kelly shining the torch to see Sabrina alive, leaning against a tree, but also levelling her revolver at them. Kelly gasped and took a step towards Sabrina, taking in the sight of their injured friend, some of her fears beginning to melt, some new ones sprouting fast in their place. "Sabrina! We've been so worried…!" Kelly began.

Sabrina straightened her arms as she tried to hold her gun more tightly. Kris winced

as she noticed a badly bleeding laceration down the side of Sabrina's face, but reached out and held Kelly's arm in caution. They both could see in the torchlight, that Sabrina was deathly pale and bathed in sweat. And they could also see that Sabrina wasn't waving her gun around in jest.

"Oh Bri, c'mon," Kris called out softly, "what's with the gun? We're friends right?"

Kris hesitantly held a hand towards Sabrina. She all too clearly remembered Jessica's taunts about the drug. If she could somehow try to reason with Bri…

"Don't!" Sabrina snapped back, through clenched teeth. She'd watched them from the trees, looking for her, coming after her. Friends? She stared icily at Kris and Kelly, who looked back, shocked at the gun held on them. They were not prepared for this. Kelly had stayed put when Kris had held her arm, but she had not stepped back. She shone the torch back towards herself.

"Please Bri, it's Kelly, and Kris - you're not well, we only want to help you." Sabrina looked at Kelly, briefly noting the deep concern in Kelly's voice. She had another fleeting memory… a time when she had helped this person… talked to her in soothing tones…the way she appeared to be talking to Sabrina herself now… The revolver wavered slightly. Along with Sabrina's resolve. Kelly looked imploringly at Sabrina but didn't move. "Bri? Will you let us help you? Please?"

Sabrina couldn't work it out. She looked at the two women in front of her, wondering why she wasn't pulling the trigger on them both… she felt so sick. And so threatened. She understood they wanted to kill her, yet she also knew somewhere deep inside that it would be wrong to take preventative action. Yet still… she felt so sick and so tired and her chest was beginning to ache… she couldn't let them take her. She made a decision. She took aim at the one in front and took the safety off.

Then without warning, the pain in her chest exploded, and she sunk to her knees in agonised shock. As she dropped her gun and clutched at her chest, losing the battle to breathe in a heartbeat, the fog that head held her mind captive began to swirl and dissipate. It dawned on her ebbing consciousness that she'd been about to blow away her dearest friends. As she felt everything within her judder to an excruciating halt, she wondered dimly, finally, toppling face down into the dirt, if Kelly and Kris would somehow forgive her.

Kelly and Kris were by Sabrina's side in an instant. Kris now couldn't stop the tears from falling as she helped Kelly roll Sabrina onto her back on the soft dry dirt of the underbrush. Kelly could hear Kris's sobs but with a stinging heart, ignored them, as she focussed on Sabrina. She checked her pulse. She listened for her breathing but both herself and Kris already knew that Sabrina was in cardiac arrest. She wrenched open Sabrina's blouse, tearing buttons and material as she went. She passed the torch back to Kris.

"Kris, here, keep the torch still!" She barked, as she began CPR. Kris could see even by the torchlight Sabrina's lips turning blue and it terrified her to the core. But she did as she was told, then taking hold of Sabrina's hand and gripping it without even thinking.

Kelly pumped down on Sabrina's chest and after so many repetitions, breathed for her friend. Kelly knew enough about first aid to administer this much help, but she knew that if professional medical help didn't arrive soon, all her efforts could be in vain. She pumped Sabrina's chest again, feeling the incredible tension of the last couple of days begin to get the better of her.

"C'mon Bri!" Kelly gasped, between thrusts to her chest. "You're not a quitter!" She left off and endeavoured to again breathe life into Sabrina.

Kris sobbed openly and rubbed Sabrina's arm that she was holding. "That's right Bri! You never ran away from anything in your whole life!" She kept the torch still as Kelly began pumping Sabrina's chest for the third time.

"You - taught - me - not - to - quit!" Kelly almost shouted at the inert form of their friend, as she delivered more chest compressions, watching intently for the slightest sign of recovery. "Now I'm not letting you quit!" Kelly shouted down at Sabrina this time, before she breathed once more to try and revive her.

As Kelly went into the fourth round of chest compressions, Kris gulped back her tears and lifted up Sabrina's hand and placed a gentle kiss on top of it. "You just come back to us, Bri, y'hear?" She tried to order Sabrina, but her voice came out as a cracked emotional plea. "We're a team! We need you… Charlie needs you, Bosley needs you…"

She shone the torch over Sabrina's waxen face as Kelly readied herself for another breath.

"…I need you - Kelly needs you…"

Kris moved as close as she could to Sabrina, still clutching her hand as if she could will the life back into her friends face. "We love you Bri." She whispered simply, yet with all the raw emotion that avalanched from her heart.

Kelly felt her own emotions then finally begin to break, as she delivered yet another breath to Sabrina…please oh please God please listen…of all the times Kelly had doubted her creators care, now was the time when she needed it most. She leant back and clasped her hands ready once more to …

Sabrina breathed. It was a very small, shallow breath. But she breathed on her own. Then as Kris and Kelly looked on in barely contained relief and amazement, she did it again. Kelly's hands stayed hovered over Sabrina's chest, not daring to move in case any movement on her part caused Sabrina to stop taking these wonderful little breaths of life. Yet once more, Sabrina took in another small breath all by herself, and exhaled. Kris looked expectantly at Kelly, forgetting to shine the torch her way, only seeing her outline, but knowing instinctively that Kelly's face would be a pool of relief. Just like her own. She kept the torch focussed on Sabrina's face, as both herself and Kelly edged closer with so much anxious relief, wondering if Sabrina would be able to come round. Neither of them ironically dared to breathe.

It was Kris who broke the silence.

"Hey, Bri?" She queried softly, brushing hair from Sabrina's face. "It's okay, you're going to be alright!"

Both Kris and Kelly noted thankfully that just a hint of colour was returning to their friends face. Sabrina was still pale, and she was far from out of the woods, yet she was breathing. She was alive. Kelly could only look over her friend and be eternally grateful for that. Words had now failed her, but she sent a deeply appreciative thought heavenward. She and Kris watched Bri's face for any flicker of movement. Sabrina's eyes flickered open slightly, then slid shut, but she was still breathing. Kelly pulled her jacket off and drew it over Sabrina carefully. She looked over at Kris, who looked back in the torchlight.

"Kelly, I can't ever lose any of you guys!" Kris almost whispered, the fear still evident in her voice as she looked from Sabrina then back to Kelly. Kelly nodded, her own fear not yet drained away. She clutched Kris's arm, suddenly needing to comfort and be comforted.

"I know Kris." Kelly suddenly felt years older. Life was not a done deal. "I know." She repeated.

And then they both heard the whirring-beat of a helicopter closing in from somewhere above, then moments later, large beams of light played down on the location of the crash.

"Guess the cavalry's arrived." Kris quipped with more relief.

Kelly looked skywards. Then looked back towards the car as they both heard running footsteps crashing towards them and another light winking at them through the semi gloom.

"We're over here Bosley, be careful!" Kelly called out. Bosley appeared moments later, out of breath and fearful of what he might find.

"Sabrina! Is she…?" He got gingerly to his knees and looked at Sabrina's unconscious form.

"Sabrina's alive, Bos, but she needs to get to a hospital fast." Kris told Bosley only minimal detail at this time. The bigger picture would be revealed soon enough. But as Bosley looked over their errant angel and back at Kelly and Kris, he noted their stark expressions and the tearful state Kris was in. He suddenly understood more than they were letting on. He shone his torch towards Kelly, who was fixing her attention on the hovering rescue helicopter.

Kelly watched worriedly as lines were dropped from the helicopter. Make it fast guys, make it fast.

Kris decided she'd really had enough of hospitals to last her a lifetime. She'd been under strict instructions from Charlie to get checked out, when Sabrina was admitted. Which was downright out of order, when all she wanted to do was to find out how Sabrina was doing. But Bosley and Kelly had chimed in too, so she really didn't have a lot of choice. The emergency doctor that had examined her and sent her for scans, had said she needed to be admitted overnight for observation, due to major concussion. So here she was, stuck two floors away from Sabrina, being hovered over by a nurse who was hell-bent on keeping her confined to her room. Kris sighed and looked towards her window for the sixth time in as many minutes. It was still dark. She checked her bedside clock. 4:30 am. She had been given strong painkillers and told she was lucky her skull wasn't fractured, after explaining the injuries she'd received. She sighed again and turned over in bed, wondering how Kelly was bearing up. She hoped Kelly had managed to find somewhere to try and catch a few hours sleep, after checking up on Sabrina, but knowing Kelly, she probably hadn't. Kelly had sat with Kris for a long while, trying to get her to sleep, but Kris was just too wound up, and wouldn't initially accept any sleeping pills. Then Kelly left, saying she was going to check on Sabrina, but that had been hours ago. And Kris, knowing that Kelly would be feeling just the same way as herself, wherever she was, just felt more anxious. She sighed and rolled over onto her back, staring up to the ceiling. She could ask the nurse for a sleeping pill… but decided against it, as she might sleep too long and miss seeing Sabrina. So she waited out the last couple of hours until sunrise.

The early morning sun shone pleasantly through the half shuttered blinds of Sabrina's room in the hospital, casting both bright patches and shadows around floor and furniture. The heart monitor still attached to Sabrina gave a constant audible re-assurance that everything was as it should be.

Kelly watched the rise and fall of her friends chest from the chair she occupied between the window and the bed. She'd been watching Sabrina for over an hour, from the chair. Kris was in another chair, dozing lightly, resting uncomfortably. Kelly glanced over at Kris and wondered if she really ought to be allowed home. Still, the doctors must know what they're doing, she thought passively. She knew Sabrina was being cared for through the highest standards here. Kelly looked back at Sabrina, then stood up out of the chair as quietly as she could and stepped lightly up to her bed and looked down at her sleeping friend. As she had done many times over the last so many hours - again, she realised she'd forgotten the time - just to make sure that the machine wasn't somehow faulty. Of course it wasn't, she chided herself. But since Sabrina had been moved into a private room from intensive care not long ago, Kelly had subconsciously almost taken on the role of Sabrina's other carer. She looked intently at Sabrina's face, taking in again the dressing attached to the side of her face and also noting one or two new lines etched around her features that she'd not noticed before. Or perhaps hadn't been there before. Before… Kelly's thoughts stumbled into each other as one thought was hindered to be let through. Kelly let it through. Before Sabrina had had a heart attack. Almost fatal. Almost dead… careless… sloppy… the thoughts tumbled on…

"Kelly…" She heard Kris whisper softly to her and turned to see Kris rub her neck and stretch a little.

"It's okay Kris, she's fine, still sleeping." Kelly whispered back, thankful that Kris had halted her downwards spiral thinking. She walked quietly over to Kris and crouched down in front of her chair.

"How are you feeling Kris?" She whispered as softly as she could, placing a hand up to her brow.

Kris smiled back. "I'm okay Kelly." Kelly didn't immediately smile back. "Really, the doctor has given me an all clear, but I just need to rest, you know?" Kris tried to convince her. Then she frowned at Kelly.

"You don't look too good Kel…have you gotten any sleep?" Kris's voice wasn't loud, but it stirred someone else in the room.

"Sure, I slept like a baby!" A weak croaky voice emanated from the bed. Kelly and Kris grinned delightedly at each other before getting up and going over to the bed.

"Hey Bri, good morning!" Kris pulled Kelly's chair up to the side of the bed. "How are you feeling?" Kelly stood next to Kris, and smiled down at Sabrina, who peeked through blurry eyes at her two friends. She was suddenly hit by deep gratitude that they were there right now…and yet suddenly, something else filtered into her still foggy mind. Tears that she didn't even realise were on their way, sprang from way back, found their way out of her brown eyes and trailed down her cheeks as she remembered her last thoughts.

Kris was alarmed. "Bri, what's wrong, shall I call the nurse?" Kelly had began to go towards the door.

"Kelly…!" Sabrina managed to choke out, to stop her. Kelly stopped, and turned. And walked back, wondering what was wrong. Kris took hold of Sabrina's hand. "Sabrina, honey, are you in pain?"

Sabrina blinked hard then swallowed. "Kelly…" She looked from one to the other. "Kris…I never ever meant to hurt you… I just - I didn't…" She stammered, weakly. Kelly took her other hand and sat on the other side of the bed. She couldn't believe Sabrina was even thinking about this.

"Shhhh, it's alright Bri, you don't have to say anything, we know," Kelly said, stroking back Sabrina's hair from her face. "Shhhh now, it's over, it's all over. We're all okay and you just get some rest now, alright?"

Sabrina calmed a little at Kelly's soothing voice and she sniffed, and managed a small smile for her friends. But she was tired suddenly, even though she had just woken up. But she looked directly at Kelly for a moment. And even through her own inner turmoil and exhaustion, she detected some misplaced unfounded guilt hiding in little places around Kelly's own exhausted looking face. She found Kelly's hand and squeezed it. "It's really all over then Kelly, huh?"

"Sure." Kelly went to pull her hand away gently but Sabrina held on. "We're all okay?" Sabrina re-iterated back to Kelly, not taking her eyes from Kelly's. Kris didn't miss the meaning either. Kelly knew Sabrina was needling her, and suddenly, right here, right now, she was never gladder in her life that she was. She held Sabrina's hand and her questioning gaze for a moment before smiling honestly back at her, and felt a load lift. They were all okay. That was enough.

Sabrina now felt her eyelids begin to droop and felt exhaustion overcome her once more.

Kelly stood and stepped back.

"Get some good rest Bri, alright? We'll be back to see you soon." Kelly and Kris walked quietly out of the room. Sabrina was asleep even before the door closed behind them.

That evening Bosley walked down the hospital corridor and knocked cautiously on Sabrina's room door and poked his head around the door, wondering if he was okay to visit. But then he saw the girls around the bed with the awake patient and smiled and approached Sabrina's bed.

" Hey, Sabrina, you look a little better!" He beamed at the angel and placed a large bouquet of mixed blooms on the top of the cabinet beside her bed. Sabrina glanced at them appreciatively.

"Aw thanks Bosley, they're lovely! Thank you!"

"You're welcome, honey! " He smiled at Sabrina. Kris then stood up and offered her seat to him, but he declined.

"It's okay Kris, I can't stop long…" He looked apologetically back at Sabrina.

"Charlie…!" She guessed out loud.

Bosley grinned ruefully. Well, something like that. Anyway, I've just been chatting to your doctor, and he said he's very pleased with your progress - he said your prognosis is very good because of your general good health and fitness..."

Sabrina sighed. " Yeah, the doc had a chat." She was a more than a little despondent, knowing that her heart was now somewhat weakened. Hell, she had been that close to pushing up daisies… She turned her head towards Kelly.

"Kelly…I owe you my life…thank you… for not letting me quit, huh?"

Bosley looked over at Kelly also and sent her a silent message of deep respect. Kelly blinked and looked back at Sabrina, slightly embarrassed. Then her expression became earnest.

"You're no quitter, Bri."

Kris then took hold of Sabrina's hand. "No way! You're a real hard case, Sabrina!" She joked, easing the slight tension in the group. Everyone was all too very well aware that the outcome of the events from the night before would have been so very different, if Kelly or Kris had not been right there for Sabrina.

"Yeah, I know!" She smiled back.

She then cleared her throat and looked at Bosley. "So what's happening with our case, Bos? And who's gonna be charged with Jenny's death?"

Kelly and Kris also looked toward Bosley.

"Well first things first, angels," he replied, "The case is now officially with the CIA…"

He was then paused by Kris and Kelly's interrupting questionings, but he held his hands up and continued.

"We did what we were hired to do angels, and that was find Jessica Rhys-Davies. Mr Bronwyn Rhys-Davies is understandably cut up about his daughter, but has now let us off the payroll."

"But what about Jennifer's murder?" Kelly indignantly replied. "That's not off our payroll is it? Don't we owe it to her to find the source of the corruption at Chemsoft?"

Bosley sighed. "I know what you're saying Kelly, and I would have ordinarily agreed with you…but now that Rhys-Davies is withdrawing from any dealings with Chemsoft and is returning to England, there is no more reason for any curb on more official investigations." He shrugged slightly. "It's now over to the CIA to investigate Chemsofts corruptions within the U.S., the government and abroad, I'm afraid. And Jennifer's death will come under their investigation. We don't have a choice." He heard the impatient sighs from Kris and Kelly but didn't have anything else to say.

"Bosley?" Sabrina queried, after listening to all that Bosley had to say and noting the frustration in his voice. He looked at her.

"Can we let her folks know that we…we're sorry…"

Bosley's expression softened. "Absolutely."

There was a sad silence in the room then, as everyone reflected on just how much of a risk they each took on the job…and how much of a loss Jenny Caine would be just to each of them.

Bosley broke the silence. "I'm real sorry Sabrina, unfortunately I have to run…Charlie sends his fondest regards and hopes you recover very soon…he was very worried you know…" He faltered slightly, as he knew this kind of message relaying between Charlie and his angels in times of sore straits never quite hit the mark. But he also knew things that the angels didn't know, yet wished so much he could tell them. One day, perhaps…one day. He looked again at Sabrina, who looked back and smiled all too knowingly, and he realised no other words were necessary. He smiled widely before leaving.

"Anyway, I've been wanting to know," Kris changed the tone of the conversation suddenly, when Bosley closed the door behind him. How on earth did you manage to get to me when we touched down here in Mexico?"

Sabrina just smiled. "Ah Kris, you know Charlie… he always likes to be punctual!"

Kris frowned good-naturedly. "But…"

"And Charlie has contacts…" Kelly supplied.

"And a really fast jet…" Sabrina finished.

"Oh!" Kris laughed. "Of course! But…wait a minute, how…?"

Kelly smiled at Kris fondly. "Let's just say that things are never quite as they seem, right Bri?"

"Right Kelly!"

Kris looked between her friends, trying to work things out and piece together everyone's possible movements that evening, but for now, it actually didn't seem that important…


End file.
